Thrown Off
by CreateAnInsaneWorld
Summary: Change is always inevitable but not necessarily welcome. So when Emily Preston-niece of Mr. Schue, BFF of Finn, Puck and Karofsky and former Golden Girl of McKinely-comes back the changes that unknowingly happen are met with mixed reviews. It's her against the school with the help of the New Directions with an added interest with Sam Evans. *Hiatus and Being Rewritten!*
1. Changes to Come

**Preface  
><strong>**Changes to Come**

William McKinley High School was almost like every other public high school. Did you catch that key word? Almost. There was bullying (being thrown into dumpsters, slushie facials, cruel name calling, violent body checks into lockers), the popular crowd (shitty football team, hockey team with out of style and plain horrifying mullets, national winning Cheerios), the losers (creepy and Gossip guy Jewfro and the glee club, New Directions), and the faculty (optimistic Spanish teacher/glee director, powerful, if not man-ish football coach, crazy as hell Cheerio coach, germophobe guidance counselor, and principal that does jack shit).

This how McKinley High functioned and it was successful (well if you were popular). There was no need for change on something that people think wasn't broken. But change is inevitable.

So what was going to be the colossus for this change?

It's not a _what_ but a _who_.

_Emily Preston_.

As in _Noah Puckerman_, _Finn Hudson_, and _Dave Karofsky's_ childhood best friend.

When tragedy strikes her in her life in Arizona she is forced back into a life in Lima, Ohio that she's not sure if that's a life she wants to be in.

So when her first day at McKinley arrives she starts to change things.

_How?_

Like she knows.

Her plan is to get through her last two years of high school relatively unscathed. However, when she's _actually there_, she knew that was not going to happen.

_Why?_

Lets see:

1. Finn and Noah? In the glee club. (She's surprised that they committed social suicide. Proud but surprised.)

2. Dave? Torments them and the others because of it. (She doesn't even try to hide her disappointment in him.)

3. Finn? Dating _Rachel Berry_, the school's biggest freak. (She's quoting here. Therefore she doesn't actually think that.)

4. Noah? Crushing majorly on Rachel (She's not surprised but is a little worried.)

5. _Quinn Fabray_? That bitch is going down after she learns about last years drama. (She doesn't like her. So she has no problem bringing her down.)

6. _Mr. Schuster_? She tells him that she _won't_ be joining the New Directions. (Blow to his ego with him being her uncle.)

_Harsh._

Unfortunately, she sees what's going on with the club, both in and out of the choir room and her damn conscience gets the better of her, especially with whatever is going on with Dave and _Kurt Hummel_.

She's not going to go through _that_ again. _Ever_.

While having easy and simple friendships with _Artie Abrams, Mike Chang, Tina Cohen-Chang,_ and _Brittany Pierce_ and a protective relationship over Kurt with _Blaine Anderson_ and _Mercedes Jones_, she forms a weird and devious ally in _Santana Lopez_ and equally weird and tense as hell friendship (that word doesn't seem right) with _Sam Evans_.

This is not going to end well. _At all._

_Joy._


	2. Welcome to William McKinley

Okay first off. I know that it's been awhile since I posted the prologue but I'm working on it. Just like I'm working on _**Here and Now**, **A Prophecy's Love**, **The Terrific Date** _and **_Big Time Rush Goes ABC._**They will be worked on. I don't try and wait long periods of time before updating again, I've just been busy with work and family. I come from a very family focus family (if that makes any sense). Basically we have a lot of family events going on practically every month. It's a lot to handle.

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters. The only thing I own at the moment is Emily.

**A/N: **Five original characters in the story. Emily Preston, Amelia Tyson (Santana's love interst because I love Bartie. Please don't hate.), Craig Michaels, Michael and Nina Preston (only shown in flashbacks). Also, it's kind of AU. Mostly it just that Sam is a junior with the others and Quinn didn't go to a different school before high school. She was with everyone else. The Sam/Santana and Sam/Mercedes hook up do not happen also. The episodes of season 2 will be in here and you'll know by the chapter titles. I tired to use the episode title in the chapter title. So yeah...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<br>****Welcome to William McKinley High School, Emily Preston**

_The sky was entirely to dark and cloudy for it only being two in the afternoon in August. It was raining as well, thankfully it was just a light sprinkle as oppose to the violent thunderstorm they had just last week. The weather, the atmosphere, was hauntingly in sync with the mood of the crowd of never ending black. Everyone was under the shelter of umbrellas._

_She stood-with her father on her left and uncle on her right, both were clutching her hands tightly but not painfully-staring at the white box in front of them. The color was startling bright and bold in contrast against the dark grayish backdrop of the area surrounding them. She shivered whether it was from the stark contrast difference or the chill of the air on her bare legs, she didn't know. She glared down at the black dress she wore. It ended at her knees and her black flats shiny from the rain and had specks of mud here and there. She hated wearing dresses._

_Her three best friends were on the other side of the box in front of her, each one with their own families._

_David, in a black suit, much like his father, Paul, was wearing-complete with the jacket, vest and tie. His short blonde hair was neatly styled and his blue eyes were sad and glistening with tears. She could tell though that he was about to let them fall any moment. His mother was openly crying while his father quietly let a few tears fall down his cheeks._

_Finn was wearing just a pair of black dress pants, a white button up shirt, a black tie and black dress pants. His brown hair was sticking up in different directions as if he had forgotten to brush it (and considering it was Finn it was a likely option). His mother, Carole, kept running her fingers through the dark strands in a soothing motion for both mother and son. He had tears running down his brown eyes._

_Lastly, there was Noah, dressed in his nicest dark denim pants and a black button up. His slightly curly brown hair was carefully combed. His hazel eyes were also glistening with tears, like David (which had started to fall silently) but he refused to let them fall; being strong for not only for her but for his mother and baby sister, despite the latter not knowing what was going on or why everyone was so sad._

_She had connected eyes with all three of them and with each one her resolve to not show anything weaken. It wasn't until her eyes landed on Sarah, Noah's little sister, that she cracked. Her eyes just filled with tears that overflowed, spilling down her cheeks. And it wasn't just for the heartbreaking pain of lose but her tears were of the almost crushing guilt of feeling a jealous hatred towards her best friend._

_She hated herself. She was to young to start feeling all bitter and jaded as she was only eleven. She was to young for this heartbreak. For this lose._

_The lose of her mother._

_The lose of the brother she'll never know._

_Her tears fell hard but silent and the grips of her father and uncle tighten when they started to feel her shake._

_She panicked when they released her hands but then calmed when three sets of hands came into contact. David and Noah taking the places of her father and uncle with Finn standing behind her resting his hands on her shoulders._

_She was grateful for her best friends and for her father and uncle._

_She just wanted her mom though._

* * *

><p>She stared at the building, trying to process what she was feeling. She knew that she was definitely feeling a bitterness to this school and this town, something her younger self would certainly be quite upset about. Though she also knew that she a little excited knowing that her three best friends were in the building right now. Granted one of them is probably sleeping, one is most likely skipping, and the other lord only knows what but then again that was Finn Hudson, Noah Puckerman and Dave Karofsky for you.<p>

Growing up she knew that she couldn't wait for high school with her friends; Finn, Noah and Dave would be on the football team (while Finn would also join basketball, Noah would do baseball and Dave for wrestling), Mike Chang would also join them but would secretly being doing those dance classes that she remembered encouraging him to do and Matt Rutherford, had he still be at McKinley would be with them as well. Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones, who she became friends with when they were assigned seating together in the third grade, would be in the Glee club and so would the guys. She would be with them and on the girls track and volleyball team.

Unfortunately that dream didn't happen for them. Around the time that she was eleven, she ended up moving from Lima, Ohio to Mesa, Arizona leaving all of her friends. She had mixed feelings about leaving the life that she had created for herself; had hated her father for moving them, simply for the fact that she was leaving her friends but then again she would have been haunted by the memory of her mother.

It had taken her some time but she grew to love Mesa, more so than of Lima. She had friends, she had track and volleyball to take her mind off things, she still had Noah, Finn and Dave through the use of e-mail and she still had her dad.

She was jostled out of her trip down memory lane by someone walking up behind her. She tensed slightly when the person stopped to stand next her. Looking out of the corner of her eye she relaxed slightly at the familiar letterman jacket.

"I'm surprised that you're out here." she muttered softly to the bigger boy. She looked curiously at the cautious and scared looks that were being shot at her friend. She wondered what that was all about.

"And miss the reactions to _The Emily Preston's _return?" His grin was contagious as she let out a small smile, "Thought you knew me better then that Em." She snorted.

"Funny." She bit out causing him to chuckle at her. They started to walk toward the entrance of the school, unknowingly gaining the attention of multiple people.

"Come on. I'll walk you to the office to get your schedule." He suggested as they entered the school. "Can't have you getting lost on your first day. What would your uncle think?" He teased causing her to smack him in the arm in retaliation but the grin on her face told him that she simply thought he was just being an idiot. _God. Missed you, Emily, _he thought as he laughed at her reaction.

* * *

><p>Santana had just leaned against the wall by the main entrance when she spotted Karofsky laughing with a girl. Not <em>at her <em>but _with her._ It was weird seeing him be nice to someone because lets face it the guy is an asshole. But here he was talking and laughing with this girl, like he's known her his whole like. Now that she thought about it the girl did look familiar.

She had light chocolate brown hair that ended a few inches below the shoulder that curled wildly at about ends, she had green and blue streaks dyed giving her a certain edge. She had a round face with a plump pink lips. Her cobalt blue eyes, that were noticeable even from this distance, were framed with thin black rectangular glasses. She wore dark blue jeans that clung to her legs like a second skin, a simple white tank top under a black and gray striped zip up hoodie, the sleeves pushed up to her elbows with a pair of black and blue plaid Etnies on her feet. Her wrists were cover various bracelets of a variety of colors of string and plastic.

It took her another but once she smiled up at Karofsky she recognized the girl. She couldn't help the smirk that formed on her own lips as glanced over at the Head Cheerio. She grimaced when she found her flirting with Large Lips but still can't help the feeling of triumph surge within her. She knew that this girl from the past would be the prefect way to dethrone the queen.

_Oh this is going to be good._

* * *

><p>Emily smiled as she and Dave joked around. She was about to say something to him when she accidentally locked eyes with a girl who had blonde hair and cold green eyes while wearing a Cheerios outfit. Both girls instinctively glared at each other; Emily had actually snarled lowly startling Dave, who was confused as to what had caused her mood to change until he followed her gaze.<p>

Dave grabbed her upper arm and dragged her to the office to grab her schedule.

"Jesus! Dude, fucking let me go." she snapped at him, trying to get his grip to loosen up with no success.

"Not going happen Em. Your uncle, plus Finn and Puck would kill me if I let you go off on Fabray." He told her.

_Asshole_, she thought when they made a sudden stop in front of the office. She felt a sudden sense of dread when she noticed that her uncle was in the principle's office with a tall blonde woman in a track suit. They looked like they were arguing about something.

"Shit. Mr. Schue and Coach Sylvester are already at it and first period hadn't even fucking started. It's not going be a good day." Dave said. Emily instantly tensed at the knowledge that the woman was the same one trying to ruin her uncle's career.

"I'm going to grab my schedule." She said, looking up at him, "I'll meet up with you, Finn and Noah later. Okay?" She asked, not noticing him flinch at the mention of the other two boys.

"Err, yeah." He stumbled over his words a little but she ignored it figuring it was nothing. After, making sure she was okay to face that war zone he left to go to his locker.

Emily walked into the main office, unknowingly glaring at the Cheerio coach. As she made her way to the secretary, her uncle caught sight of her and gave her a tight smile that she returned blandly.

A cough forced her to refocus on the annoyed woman.

"I'm sorry ma'am. I got," She started innocently with a wave of her hand toward the heated argument, "distracted." The look on the woman's face changed at her words.

"Yes. This happens a lot. But anyways, how can I help you?" The woman asked her.

"My name is Emily Preston. It's my first day here."

"Ah yes. The new student." she said shuffling through some folders before pulling out a manila folder, "Here you go. Your schedule, a map of the school, school calendar, locker information and other papers are in here. Also, Mr. Figgins would like to have a quick word with you. Just knock on his door." She finished with a point at the glass door.

Emily inwardly grimaced at the thought of interrupting the middle of that fight but knocked on it anyways.

There was stall in words when the three adults faced her; Mr. Figgins looking relieved, her uncle looking relaxed, and Sylvester looking annoyed. Mr. Figgins waved her in and was met with a glare from the blonde woman.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting sir but I was told that you wanted to talk me when I arrived." she spoke to Mr. Figgins as the glared from the cheerleading coach intensified. She shot a quick glance to her uncle to see that he had a slight pained expression on his face which caused her to shoot him a sympathetic smile.

"And who are you?" The woman asked causing her attention to shift from her uncle to the tall woman.

"Emily Preston."

"Don't know you so go away."

Emily raised an eyebrow with a snort as she turned her body to face the older woman head on. Her uncle noticed the tight expression on her face.

"Don't Em…" he trailed off softly but she ignored him.

"Now see that's where you're wrong because I'm pretty sure I just told you my name." she said looking Sylvester, who had a sudden contemplative look, "So, you see you do know me. Now I have a meeting with my uncle and the principle." With those words she turned back to face Mr. Figgins, missing the impressed look on the coach's face and the proud look on her uncle's.

"I like you when you're done here come and see me about trying out for my Cheerios. You got the presence of a leader." she commented looking her up and down.

"Sorry but I'd rather not join the woman who has tried and will continue to ruin my uncle's teaching career." She told her as she continued to stare out in front of her. Her uncle snorted out a laugh that for some reason caused her to glance at him with a grin.

"What? It's true."

"_Schuester?_"

"Got to say Emily, didn't think this introduction would go the way it did." Will said with a grin, ignoring the tall woman. She gave him a careless shrug.

"Please. It's not like I'm going to join her in your "destruction" as Noah likes to call it." She told him, "Besides, can you see me being a Cheerio? I mean seriously what the hell?"

"Hey! My Cheerios are-" Sue was cut off.

"Alright that is enough! Sue we'll continue this later but right now I need to take this meeting." Mr. Figgins said, his voice cracking slightly at dismissing the intimidating woman, who ended up glaring at him before aiming the look at her uncle.

"Fine. I'm only leaving because the gel from Schuester's hair is giving off fumes that is giving me a headache." And with that she left the office.

"Well that was interesting." Emily said lightly as she took a seat in front of the desk. Her uncle took the other seat next to her and let out a bark of laughter.

"I'll say."

"Alright if we can get started now Miss. Preston." Mr. Figgins cut in. She leaned back in the chair and stared at the man.

"Ready whenever you are sir."

_This is sure going to be different._

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Return of Emily Preston<strong>_

_The rumors of there being another new student joining the halls of McKinley High have been floating ever since a month into the year and it seems to be tight lipped until the mysterious person finally made their appearance. But to the surprise of my source and myself, it wasn't a new student joining but an old one returning._

_Yes, that's right it seems like Emily Preston, the original Golden Girl of our class and all around amazing (seriously this girl was/is loved by everyone) person, has returned after moving to Arizona just before the sixth grade._

_And when you think of Emily Preston, you know that the names of Finn Hudson, Noah 'Puck' Puckerman and David Karofsky are followed right after. In fact today way before the first bell rang for class I got a look at Emily and Karofsky talking and laughing. (Picture Below)_

_I know that when I saw this I was completely thrown at the carefree and genuine laughter (that wasn't at the expense of someone else) that was coming from Karofsky, but it was widely known that the footballer has had a soft spot for the girl since they met in kindergarten. A question does come to my mind._

_How will Emily react when finding out that Karofsky is one of the biggest bullies in the school?_

_No one word on how Finn Hudson is reacting to one of his best friend's return nor on Emily finding out the Puckerman got himself locked up in juvie for stealing a car and the attempted theft of a ATM machine._

_In a surprising move I was able corner ex-head cheerio Santana Lopez to give a statement as to what she thinks of the girl's return._

"_Personally, I think Emily's return is going to set off a chain reaction of fucking epic proportions and I for one cannot wait for the downfall of a few selected people. That shit is going to be good."_

_And who are these selected few? Only one person comes to my mind and it's the reinstated head cheerio Quinn Fabray._

_If anyone doesn't remember the tension between these two girls, I for one applaud you on that feat seeing as I would love to forget those epic blow outs. No one knows of the origins of the hatred the girls have for one another and its not for the lack of trying on my part. My theory is that Quinn was jealous of Emily's top spot on the social pyramid, no matter who the beautiful brunette befriended (anyone else remember her being good friends with Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones). Yes, that is my assumption but only time will tell until I can figure out the rest of that story._

_Though another question comes to mind._

_What's going to happen when Emily finds out about Babygate? I shuddered at the thought of that backlash._

_On a different note, why exactly has Emily returned?_

_We know she left with her father after her mother had past but her returning is a mystery just waiting to come out. And I can't wait to hear it._

_That's all on Mr. Schue's niece as of right now._

_Oh wait. Did I forget to mention that part?_

_Yes, it seems that I have and I apologize neglecting that._

_It's true Emily Preston is the niece of Spanish teacher and glee club director, Mr. Schuester. It's only natural to assume that with Emily back that she'll join the New Directions and maybe that's the answer to ending the loserdom of the glee club. I know I am not the only one who remembers Emily being gifted in the music department-singing, playing both the guitar and piano._

_If Emily joined the glee club, would it tear her down or will she bring it up?_

_Only time will tell._

_And on that note I'm out._

_Until next time._

_-JBI_

* * *

><p>It was in the middle of first period when she was sent the link to the blog from Kurt, after she asked but she wasn't able to read it until second period when she was in the computer lab for her English class. She didn't know what to make of the story that Jewfro had posted. There were questions floating around in her head and she wasn't sure what one to start.<p>

_Why would Dave laugh at the expense of other people?_

_Why would Noah do something so stupid?_

_What the hell is babygate?_

_How in the hell did Jewfro find out about her uncle?_

Thinking about on how she was going to answer these was giving her a headache, so for she pushed them in the back of her mind for now until she could get Kurt alone.

He was always up for some gossiping but there was someone she could talk to now about something else that was bothering her. She pulled up the instant messaging software and looked at the list for a specific person.

_**EPreston: **__You and I need to talk._

_**SLopez: **__About what?_

_**EPreston: **__I just read some interesting stuff on Jewfro's blog and I was wondering if you could clear something up for me._

_**SLopez: **__Depends on what the something is Preston._

_**EPreston: **__Relax Lopez I'll get Kurt to fill me in on babygate and everything else. What I want to know is why you can't wait for the fall down of the little Miss. Perfect? Thought she was your best friend or some shit like that._

_**SLopez: **__Used to be but let's just say that the bitch needs to be brought down._

_**EPreston:**__ Would you like to elaborate that vague answer? I would certainly appreciate it._

_**SLopez:**__ Now you need to relax. I can see you squirming irritably from here. She took my position as head cheerio by playing dirty and well I don't like how she's acting like she wasn't at the bottom of the social ladder last year. Besides she screwed around Puck and he's my boy._

_**EPreston:**__ What? What do you mean she screwed around with Noah? What the hell did the bitch do?_

_**SLopez:**__ You'll find out when you talk to Hummel. And after you do. Find me. We'll talk._

_**EPreston:**__ Why do I get the feeling this is going to be the start to scary friendship?_

_**SLopez:**__ Ha! Cause you know it is._

_**EPreston:**__ Heaven help the school then._

_**SLopez:**__ lol_

The bell rung signaling the end of English. She stood up from her seat after logging out and caught Santana's eye. The Latina girl smirked at her causing one to form on her own lips.

She couldn't wait to talk to Kurt.

* * *

><p>She wasn't able to find Kurt, so she told herself to talk to him at lunch to find out the story.<p>

At her locker she was met up with Mike and Tina. After giving Mike a tight huge and a smile to Tina, she gave them an adorable "Aww" after spotting their joined hands, happy for the couple.

The three of them started down the hall when realizing that Emily and Mike were in the same Pre-Cal class and that Tina's Algebra 2 class was in the same direction. They talked about her time in Arizona, glossing over the reason of why she had returned, and how well the football team seemed to be doing under the reign of Coach Beiste.

After dropping Tina off at her class Emily and Mike continued their way to their own class. It was just before they walked through the doorway when she spotted Dave and the Amizo kid, who she never really liked. They were both holding a Big Gulp Slushie and were walking toward to teens. She was able to recognized them as Rachel and Artie just as the two football players threw the frozen drinks at them.

Emily stopped, unable to believe that what she just saw actually happened. She grew aware that the hallway became silent when they realized that she just witnessed the attacked that her best friend initiated. She watched as the two boy became confused as to why there was no laughter and looked around them. It wasn't until Dave spotted her that he understood what just happened. It was completely silent for a few tense moments as she stared at her best friend like she had never seen him before. She vaguely noticed Rachel and Artie leaving to clean up but didn't really register anything else.

Silence continued even as Mike gently grabbed Emily's elbow to guide her into the classroom and when Dave and Amizo left, Dave looking like he was going to be sick himself. As soon as the two teens were out of the hall it was like a wildfire. Everyone gave their opinion as to what they had just witnessed.

Emily sat down at the table with Mike taking the seat next to her. She was still silent and Mike began to grow anxious, not used to her being so quiet.

"What the hell was that Mike?" She asked softly as she stared at the board in front of them. He swallowed wondering how he was going to answer that before deciding with the truth.

"That was nothing new."

"_Nothing new?"_ she hissed at him causing him to jerk back a little.

"The glee club isn't popular. In fact it's so low on the social totem pole that not even Finn, Puck, Matt, Santana, Brittney, Quinn and myself could help it. The slushie attacks and dumpster tosses are what happens to the losers. The dumpster tosses haven't happened in a long while seeing as Puck was the one who would do that-"

_"What?"_ she screeched causing the people who were in the room to look at them. Mike cringed at not only the volume of her voice but at his stupid mistake.

"Shit." he mumbled, "He's going to kill me."

"Not if I don't kill him first."

"Em. Look it he didn't start until after you left. You leaving and with all the stuff that was still going on at home it was hard and I'm not making excuses for him or anything but Puck knows that he did wrong. He doesn't do any of that anymore, hell he really hasn't done any of that since he and Rachel dated last year-"

"Again I say what?" He rolled his eyes.

"They dated for like week last year but broke up because she was in love with Finn and he had a thing for Quinn." She sneered at the name just as their teacher came in.

"Of course she would be in on ruining them. God I hate her." She said softly but it wasn't really directed to him. He didn't dare touch that topic with her.

"Anyways, the only time he does the dumpster tosses or really anything is when Jewfro is being extra creepy with Rachel or when the glee club is being harassed." he told her quietly as they started to take notes on the lesson. He was grateful that they sat in the back so they could continue to talk.

"So my best friends were or are the biggest bullies in the school?" She asked rhetorically as she wrote down a formula and its definition, "Twilight Zone much?"

"Welcome to McKinley." She snorted humorlessly.

_Yeah, welcome my ass._


	3. Nice Meeting You, Sam Evans, Not

Alright here's chapter 2. I'm working on chapter 3 as we speak.

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters. The only thing I own at the moment is Emily and Emily's parents. I also don't own A Little More by Skillet (You'll see the full song later in the story)

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<br>****Nice Meeting You Sam Evans. Not.**

_There air around them was cool, allowing her to wear a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. Her brown hair was in pigtails that her mom did for her. She held tightly onto both of her parents as she stared up at the big building. She was scared._

"_You ready, Emmy-bear?" Her father's soft voice soothed some of her nerves but not all of them. She looked up at him, to see that he was smiling gently at her, reassuring her that she would be all right. She shook her head._

"_Why not sweetheart? Her mother asked. Looking over, she saw that her mother had knelt down to eyelevel to her. She shrugged, not saying a word as she looked down at the ground. She heard her father kneel beside her mother._

"_What's wrong Emily?" Her dad asked. She bit her lip, wondering if she was being stupid or not._

"_What if no one likes me?" Her tone was soft and scared but she was genuinely worried at the idea of not being liked. She didn't see her parents smiling at each other softly._

"_That's not going to happen." Her mother told her. Her voice convinced of this, "You want to know why?"_

_Emily looked up with a nod._

"_Because you'll have Finn and Noah with you."_

_She smiled at the mention of her best friends._

"_In fact there they are now." Her mom pointed to the side of them. Looking over, she saw them with their families. Catching their eyes, she grinned and waved at them happily. To which they returned, just as enthusiastically._

"_You ready now?" Her dad asked, amusement in his voice._

"_Yeah."_

_They walked to the entrance of the school, meeting with Finn, Noah and their parents. She stood between them and grabbed their hands, giving them a light squeeze to ease the nervousness that still fell on her._

_The three of them were silent on the way to their classroom, listening to their families talk about doing something after school. She wasn't paying attention to them._

_Suddenly, they were standing in the room were they would be for five days of the week in the morning. There were already several kids there talking to the friends that they had before today but she noticed one boy standing looking out the window on the other side of the room. She looked at him curiously. He had short blonde hair and was wearing jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt with Spiderman on it._

"_Alright. You three have fun. Noah's dad will pick you up when school is over. Okay?" Finn's mother, Carole, asked. After them nodding, the adults left._

_Emily looked back at the blonde boy before coming to a decision. Pulling Finn and Noah by their hands, she made her way to the lonely boy._

"_Hi! My name is Emily. And these are my best friends Finn and Noah." She pointed to each one, "What's yours?" She asked. The boy looked startled at them standing in front of him. He was quite, not knowing what to say, for a slight moment._

"_My name is Dave."_

* * *

><p>Emily avoided Dave after the slushie attack, not knowing how she to deal with the knowledge that one of her best friends had become a bully. It was the one time were she was grateful that Noah was in juvie giving her time to process that he was also a bully, though from what Mike had told her he had reformed from his bullying ways. With those two it caused her to worry on how Finn turned out, seeing as she hasn't met up with him yet.<p>

Third period had just ended, therefore making it time for lunch, and she rushed out of the classroom and toward her locker, all the while hoping not to run into Dave. It's childish she knows but she needed to think before she could talk to him.

Suddenly she was on the floor, her head hitting the floor with a quiet thud. Eyes closed and groaning she lifted a hand to the back of her head and touched it softly wincing at the pain the came from the light touch, she brought her fingers in front and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of no blood.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay? I'm so sorry." A voice said above her. It was male and sounded panicked at the thought of hurting her. She opened her eyes to see blonde hair and bright emerald green eyes. Her first thought was that he was extremely cute. Her second was that the guy had a huge mouth. She could almost hear Noah asking how many balls he could fit in it. She also noticed the letterman jacket. _Hmm, so he must know Finn, Noah and Dave._

"I-I'm okay." She told the boy.

"Here let me help you up." He said holding a hand out to her. Grabbing the appendage, he barely tugged on her as she planted her feet and was lifted into a standing position. All of she felt the world tilt and arms were wrapped around her waist as her arm ended up wrapped around the boy's neck and her other hand reached up to hold her head. She could feel his strong chest pressing against the side of her breast and forced herself not to blush.

"Whoa there." He whispered, something that she was grateful for as her head started to pound.

"So. Maybe I'm not okay. Wow. It really needs to stop spinning now." She told him, glad that she was leaning against him. Something solid. Sturdy.

"Come on. I'll take you to the nurse." He continued to talk quietly as they started toward the nurse's office.

"First day of school and already heading to the nurses office. God and lunch just started. That has to be some record, huh?" She asked rhetorically with a laugh, which turned into grimace.

"Okay. Laughing bad move." She mumbled as he chuckled softly.

"So, it would seem. Do you mind telling me why we collided causing your head injury?" The blonde boy asked. This time her grimace had nothing to do with her aching head.

"Avoiding my best friend."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Just found out that he's not the boy I remembered as growing up." She explained as the nurse's office came into view, "Turns out he one of the biggest bullies in school."

"Wait. Karofsky?" There's an edge in his tone that she doesn't like and while she's disappointed in Dave right now he's still her best friend.

"Don't act like you know him." She argued. They stopped in front of the door of the office and he let her go, making sure that she was steady on her feet.

"Are you sure you do?" It was the implication of his words then anything else that caused her temper to rise. It was a slow process, the anger just simmering in her blood. It startled her, this feeling, and the anger. It has been so long since she really felt something, especially something like this. The blood in her veins rushed wildly throughout her body, rushing to her head. It overwhelmed her a little causing her to feel light headed but she refused to show it to this _boy, _who seemed to hate her best friend simply on principle.

"Listen here whoever the hell you are. I've known Dave for over ten years. He's been one of my _best friends _since kindergarten. You _don't know_ what he's been through, what he's helped _me. Noah. Finn. _through. He's a bully. Yes, I'm not completely blind that he is not the same boy. He's changed I get it. But _do not_ tell me that I don't know him." Her voice grew loud as she spoke, not helping her pounding head.

A crowd gathered around them, watching the scene before them with a sense of disbelief and interest.

"Yeah. Sure seems like you know him. You realize that probably could've stopped him right. The slushie attacks. The dumpster tosses. Body checks into lockers. Name-calling. You've could've stopped him but _you didn't!"_ He snapped angered at the harassment that his new friends have had to deal with because of the mentioned boy. The on lookers watched as Emily flushed in anger; most of them remembering her temper (the Quinn-Emily blow outs really are hard to forget, no matter how hard they try too) stepped back despite it not being aimed at them.

"_I didn't know!" _She screamed at him willing the sudden tears away, her headache gone, "I haven't been here in five years. I haven't seen him in _five fucking years. _If I had been here I wouldn't have let this happen."

"Really? Because I'm getting the feeling that you would've joined in with him. You're the former Golden Girl right? Had to keep your position on top somehow." His words were filled with a poison that made her see red and lost awareness around her. She was only vaguely aware of Finn, Rachel (now in new clothes, though the choice in outfit nearly had her pausing), Kurt and Dave joining the crowd.

_**Slap!**_

The blonde boy's face jerked to the side, red tinting his left cheek. The stinging in her hand told her that she had slapped him. He touched his cheek, wincing at the pain before he raised his head back to her glaring. Before anything could happen, in some sort of unspoken agreement Finn and Dave rushed to them, pulling the boy away from her. Dave stood in front of her, his hands gently on her arms as he looked over his shoulder glaring at the boy, who being blocked by Finn.

"You don't know me." She whispered to him, her voice voided of anything.

"Back off Sam!" She heard Finn tell him. It was then she realize that the boy who had just insulted her and her best friend, she didn't even know his name until Finn uttered it.

_Sam._

A nice name for a spiteful boy.

As Sam walked away, the crowd was in a stunned silence settled on the crowd, not really knowing what just happened between the new Golden Boy and old Golden Girl's first meeting. Emily looked around finally noticed everyone watching her, Dave and Finn. The stares started to make her uncomfortable as she shifted on her feet leaning against the wall next to her. Finn and Dave noticing the discomfort shot the crowd a look.

"Show's over. You can all leave now." Dave growled. Everyone scattered not wanting to push him even more. Soon it was just her, Dave, Finn, Rachel and Kurt in the hall. Rachel and Kurt were a few feet away from them, watching the three.

The two football players looked at the blue-eyed girl with unmasked concern. She smiled slight to reassure them but it came out pained.

"What was all that Emily?" Finn asked quietly, looking her over for any signs of distress.

"Nothing. It was nothing." Dave looked at her like she grew another head.

"You slapped Evans. _Slapped him." _He spoke slowly like he was speaking to a child, "That was not nothing." She glared at him.

"I was defending _you_ jackass." She spat at him, causing him to step back like she had slapped _him_, "Though from what I heard I don't know why." He looked to be in pain at her words.

"Em-" She shook her head stepping away from him and closer to Finn.

"I don't want to hear your excuses Dave. Or should I call you Karofsky." He actually flinched at her calling him by his last name.

She looked up at the tall brunette boy.

"Can we go somewhere else?" She asked him. Finn looked at her for a small moment before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leant her head against his shoulder as he turned them toward to other two teens.

Finn grabbed onto Rachel's hand and Emily made a note to ask what that was about. She felt delicate and cool fingers lace threw hers and she smiled sadly at Kurt. Here he was comforting her at about her best friend, a bully, who no doubt was one of the stylish blonde tormenters.

_The day needs to be over._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Lunch Time Fights<br>**__**Sam Evans Meeting Emily Preston for the First Time**_

_Wow._

_That's the only word I have for the epic show in front of the nurses office at the beginning of lunch._

_The first meeting of Sam Evans and Emily Preston was definitely an explosive one that's for sure. I must say Emily does know how to make an impression without even trying._

_How did it even start?_

_It seems that just before third period Emily was walking with old friend Mike Chang to their mutual class, when she witnessed just who one of her best friend's became. It seems that Karofsky and Amizo thought it would be a good idea to stage an attack on two of the glee club members; wheelchair bound Artie Abrams and the love of my life Rachel Berry._

_Let's just say the slushie attacked stunned her in a frozen shock. (Picture Below)_

_Not only that but when Karofsky spotted her, he himself looked like he was going to be sick. (Picture Below)_

_Uh-oh! Looks like there is going to be some trouble in that friendship._

_After third period, I tired to catch up with Emily to see if she would comment on the slushie attack but it seems that as soon as the bell rang she was out the door and down the hall in a matter of seconds. Most likely trying to avoid her friend._

_Deciding to go to my locker instead, which so just happened to be in the direction Emily ran. As soon as I turned the corned I had saw her run into none other then Sam Evans._

_After helping her up and helped her to nurses offices as it seemed she had bumped her head on the floor, they did some bantering. She hits her head and she flirts with Sam, Quinn Fabray's boyfriend. I can see this ending well._

_Next thing that's happening when they reached the nurses office, they're screaming at each other about Karofsky bullying ways._

_Sam then had the audacity to imply that if Emily didn't move if she would be a bully as well._

_I'm sure I'm not the only one who hated Evans at the moment because I can't see Emily being a bully to anyone._

_Honestly Sam, why do you think she was our Golden Girl in the first place?_

_Everyone loves her._

_But one can't help but to imagine on how high school would be like if Emily had stayed. Would things be different? Would they be just how they are, with her turning a blind eye? Would she really be one of them?_

_Then she slaps him. (Picture Below) Now I definitely know I'm not the only one who felt the same satisfaction as I did though I thought it was hot seeing her all mad. While my heart will always beat for Rachel Berry, current girlfriend of Finn Hudson, a small part of me has loved Emily Preston for just as long._

_Finn you're one lucky bastard to have those two beautiful girls in your life._

_Anyways, after that Hudson and Karofsky, who had just arrived in time to see the slap, had a silent understanding and pulled those two away from each other. (Picture Below)_

_Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see what happened after that but speculation is that Karofsky and Emily are not in a good place for their friendship._

_Will they be able to fix it or will is new life style be the thing to ruin them?_

_How will Quinn react to Sam being flirty with Emily before their smack down?_

_And just how long will it be before those two to clash forces for the first time in five years?_

_Quinn won't be happy that her boyfriend just went down in the popularity pole after insulting Emily. But she'll have more to worry about seeing that with out even trying Emily is gaining her top spot on the pyramid once again._

_I'd stay home on that day people._

_Until next time._

_-JBI_

* * *

><p>Emily groaned after reading the blog post. The post had been posted about five minutes after she, Finn, Kurt and Rachel had left Dave in the hallway, meaning about ten minutes after the fight. She cringed at the knowledge of Jacob being a little bit in love with her. Though her disgust was more sympathetic for Rachel, having remembered the red haired Jewish boy's creepy affections towards her during school; Noah had gotten into a lot of trouble for being mean to him. <em>Serves him right. The creep.<em>

"People seriously believe this garbage?" She asked the three teens who were still with her in the auditorium. Rachel and Kurt were currently sitting on the piano bench, their backs to the beautiful instrument; her fingers twitched as she resisted the urge to play. Finn was sitting next to Rachel, leaning against the bench, her leg pressing against his arm, with his legs spread out in front of him. Her own legs were over Finn's, crossed at the ankle. She was lying down on the floor, fingers laced together and under her head as a pillow. She turned her head to look at them when she spoke.

"People love drama whether if it's real or not." Kurt's soft voice spoke. She glanced at him, noticing that he was almost dying to find out if what happened with Sam was true or not. She thought of the cute blonde haired, green-eyed boy. Her blood started to boil just slightly knowing that if she let go any further she'd accidentally yell at any of her company.

"People are idiots." She said, causing the three of them to snort. She laughed out loud at their reactions. For the next five minutes they were just laughing at nothing in particular and Emily felt lighter since the fight with both Sam and Dave. She sobered at the thought of her friend. Taking a deep she looked back up at the ceiling.

"How bad is it?" She asked with no one in mind. Though the question was vague, she knew that didn't have to elaborate with everything that had happened today.

"Honestly, it's not as bad as it used to be. Puck was one of the worst; he tossed slushies, threw people in dumpsters, even locked people in the port-a-potties and then tipped it over." Kurt told her. Her eyes snapped to him at the last one as she shot up in a sitting position, her hands leaning on the floor behind her.

"Port-a-potties? Who?"

She watched as the three of them glanced at each other, deciding on whether or not telling her would be a good idea. She looked at her best friend.

"Finn." He winced at her tone and couldn't decide if he hated her being pissed at him or disappointed. He looked down at the face of one of his best friend and he knew that she just wanted to know what had turned into their mutual friend. He sighed in reluctance knowing she was going to hate the answer.

"Mainly just Artie."

"Abrams?" The shock in her voice was noticeable, especially as she recalled him being slushied earlier with Rachel. She looked at the short brunette girl.

"Are you okay after with what happened?" Her question seemed to had startled the girl as though no one had ever asked her that. Emily watched, confused, as Rachel glanced at the two boys with them, longingly and if a little hurt. Surely Finn, her boyfriend (_When the fuck did that happened? And why didn't Noah do something?_), would ask if she was all right when ever she was dealt with the bullying.

"Oh yes. Don't worry about it Emily. I'm quite all right as I have grown quite used them happening and I'm, as well as others who have been subjected to them, have brought an extra set of clothing. But thank you nonetheless for the concern." Rachel spoke clearly and surely and though she could shorten the words she used, Emily got the gist of them.

"_I have grown quite used them happening."_

What the fuck is that?

"Rachel," Her tone was sharp with disbelief, "You shouldn't have _grown used to them_" She said the words in disgust, "No one should. It's wrong and cruel and damaging to someone's spirit." The words seemed to have hit some nerve in the three; Rachel and Kurt relieved to know that someone thought that and Finn's reaction was laden with guilt. She remembered her conversation with Mike and she stared at Finn as she spoke again.

"And people who don't do the bullying but don't stop it are just as bad."

"What if they don't know how to stop it?" Finn's question was prompt, just after she finished her statement. Emily could see the guilt in his brown eyes as he stared at her desperately, not wanting her to hate him. To be disappointed in him.

"Just trying is something because if you don't try then nothing changes."

* * *

><p>Emily sat down next to Kurt in their shared French class, grateful that it was the last hour of the day; also thankful that there wasn't any glee after school today seeing as she hadn't told her uncle her decision on joining.<p>

"Kurt?" She asked as a silence in conversation fell on them as the got their things out.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing after school?" She asked casually. She had been dreading this conversation almost as much as the one to result from this but she need to know what happened between Finn, Noah and Quinn.

"Nothing. May I ask why?" He looked curious at her causing her to bit her lip but sighing, shifting in her seat to face him.

"Could you come over? So we could talk." She asked seriously looking him in the eye. She thought fleetingly that it was a shame that he was gay as he was also really cute. If he was straight she would totally date him. Her mind flashed to blonde hair and a letterman jacket. She shook her before turning her focus back on the fashionable blonde in front of her.

"Any particular reason?"

"Babygate." Her answer seemed to have startled him as he looked at not knowing what to say.

"Why?"

"Because I need to know what the hell Fabray did to my best friends." She told him heatedly before defusing instantly, "I just need to know."

He observed her wondering if her knowing about last year's drama would be a good thing or a complete disaster. But he noticed that she really did want to know how bad her friends had suffered while she was gone.

"What time and where?" She relaxed, relieved that he was agreeing. She had worried for a moment that he wouldn't tell her anything. Tearing a piece a paper out of her notebook she wrote down the address to her uncle's apartment.

"Here at four." Emily told him, sliding the scrap to him. He folded it and placed it in his pocket without looking at as the their teacher came in and the second bell rung.

"I'll be there."

"Thank you."

"Bon après-midi de classe. Avant de commencer la leçon d'aujourd'hui, je voudrais vous souhaiter la bienvenue à notre nouvel élève, Emily Preston." The teacher spoke in perfect French and it seemed that only a handful of the students actually understood what she had said, Kurt and Emily included.

"Merci Mme Beckenshire. Je suis impatient de votre classe que le français avait été mon préféré à apprendre de retour en Arizona." Emily answered back from her seat clearly, impressing Mrs. Beckenshire, who complemented on her fluency before starting the lesson.

Kurt leaned over closer to her.

"Show off." She grinned.

"Coupable."

* * *

><p>Finally, she was home. Kicking her shoes off at the mat to next to the door, she threw her bag off of her shoulder and let it fall to the floor by the shoes with a soft <em>thud.<em> Her uncle walked past her as she stared down at the bulging bag that had a little over a month of reading material and assignments she needed to do, plus the one that she was assigned today. She was so glad that her first day had landed on a Friday.

"Hungry?" Her uncle's voice floated to where she was still standing. At the mention of food, she ignored the impending mountain of work and walked into the kitchen. Her stomach growled and she realized that she had skipped on lunch.

"Starving." She told him as she sat down at the counter watching him make two sandwiches.

"So how was your first day?" He asked her placing some turkey on the wheat bread.

"Other then meeting the woman out for your career, finding out that my best friends are or at least were the biggest bullies in school, meeting Sam Evans and getting into a fight about Dave, then fighting with Dave and finding out that Rachel is dating Finn and not Noah? Pretty uneventful Uncle Will." She shrugged innocently as he stared at her surprised as to what had happened.

"Wait. You got into a fight with Sam? Why?" Will wondered as to what had happened between one of his glee members and his niece. He handed her the sandwich.

"He thought it was smart to tell me that I didn't know Dave as well as I thought and then proceeded to tell me that I would have been a bully if I had stayed here instead of going to Arizona. So I slapped him." She said indifferently, taking a bite of her snack. She looked thoughtful as she chewed, "Now that I think about I'm surprised that a teacher didn't come to see what was going on. We were yelling at each other pretty loudly." She added as an after thought after she had swallowed.

Her uncle merely shook his head.

"What I am going to do with you Emily?" She grinned brightly at him.

"Love me for ever and ever Uncle Will." Emily repeated the words she always told him whenever he had asked her that. He laughed at her childish answer.

"Always Em."

They were silent as they finished their sandwiches. Emily got up from her seat and walked over to the sink with her plate in hand. Placing the dirty dish into the metal tin, she walked over to the fridge and opened it to grab a coke.

"I'm going to head to my room to start my torture known as homework." She walked past her uncle, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for the sandwich."

She stopped just before entering the living room to retrieve her bag and looked back at her uncle.

"Oh by the way. Kurt's coming over at four."

Emily left before he could say anything else. Grabbing the heavy bag she made her way down the hallway to her room. As soon as she closed the door, she felt the tension that was unknowingly in her body unwound at begin in a familiar location. She placed her messenger bag by her desk before grabbing her iPod and walking over to the side table next to her bed where her iPod dock was sitting.

She selected a random song and let it echo out into her room as she laid down on the comfortable mattress. She had about an hour before Kurt came over and she wanted to relax.

Her eyes closed as the soft melody of her favorite song lulled her to sleep.

_Love is all around you now  
>So take a hold<br>Hidden in our words  
>It sometimes ain't enough<br>Don't suffocate day after day  
>It's building up<br>Cause when you're feeling weak  
>You know I'm strong enough<em>

* * *

><p>Okay, then there you have chapter 2. Please review because I was a little upset not to have review for the first chapter.<p>

Translations:

_Bon après-midi de classe. Avant de commencer la leçon d'aujourd'hui, je voudrais vous souhaiter la bienvenue à notre nouvel élève, Emily Preston _- Good afternoon class. Before beginning today's lesson, I would like to welcome our new student, Emily Preston

_Merci Mme Beckenshire. Je suis impatient de votre classe que le français avait été mon préféré à apprendre de retour en Arizona. _- Thank you Ms. Beckenshire. I look forward to your class, French had been my favorite to learn back in Arizona.

_Coupable _- guilty

Again reviews are loved and encouraged.

-Korey.


	4. Kurt Spills Last Year

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters. The only thing I own at the moment is Emily, Emily's parents and Amelia. I also don't own Under My Skin by Skillet.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<br>****Kurt Spills Last Year**

_It was warm for it being so early in the day causing her to wear a white flowy skirt that ended a little past her knees, a green t-shirt and green and white tennis shoes. Her hair was up in a slightly messy ponytail seeing as she put it up herself this morning._

_It was just about to turn eight thirty, thus starting the first day of school. She was sitting on top of a random desk talking to Finn, Noah, and Dave about playing after school. She saw Jacob, a creepy little boy with a red afro, bugging Rachel Berry. Knowing the Noah liked the other Jew, she tapped him in the leg with her foot_

"_I think Rachel might need some help." She said softly jerking her head toward the small girl. She giggled quietly when Noah whipped his head toward his Jewish friend and frowned at the sight he saw. Emily turned back to Finn and Dave as Noah walked over to save Rachel._

"_I hope we get to sit with each other this year." Finn stated to two of his best friends. Dave and Emily glanced at each other before grinning at the other boy._

"_Me too. Though I think Noah would like to sit with Rachel too." She said with a light giggle as she glanced over at the pair. She looked just in time to see Rachel giving Noah a kiss on the cheek as Jacob limped away. She giggled again when she saw Noah blush._

"_Ew." She heard Finn and Dave mumble together having witnessed the same thing. She rolled her eyes at the boys just as the teacher stood up from the desk to start class._

"_Okay. Everybody settle down." The teacher waited until the kids were quiet, "Now I want you all to stand against the wall. Girls on the left. Boys on the right." Emily frowned a little at the thought of being away from her best friends but did what she was told to do._

_Just as she was about to stop she accidentally walked into someone._

"_Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't see where I was going." She apologized to the other girl before facing her. She stared into the green eyes of the girl and glared._

"_Watch where you're going Emily." Quinn Fabray snapped. She felt her irritation grow at the blonde's tone._

"_It was an accident Quinn and I even said sorry. So watch the attitude." Emily snapped back at before walking away to the wall. She stood between Rachel and Brittney. She gave each of them smile._

"_Hi Brittney. Rachel" She greeted them and they returned the sentiments. They just started talking about their summers when the teacher spoke again._

"_Okay. Now to assign seats. It's going to four at a table; two boys and two girls. There is only going to be one table with three people" She explained before continuing, "So, lets start off with Rachel, Santana, Noah and Mike." Emily frowned at not being able to sit with Noah but was happy that Rachel was with him and Mike. She tuned out the rest of the pairing; only vaguely paying attention when Finn was seated with Quinn, Brittney and Matt, while Dave was with Jacob, Lauren and Becky._

"_Okay and finally we have Emily, Mercedes and Kurt." At the sound of name Emily looked over to where the teacher was standing at an empty table. She made her way to them, noting that she was between Noah and Dave's tables; also that Noah was sitting next to Rachel. Sitting down by herself on one side she looked at her tablemates._

_There was small skinny boy with blonde hair with pale blue eyes. He was wearing a pair of nice blue jeans, with a white buttoned up long sleeve shirt tucked into them and white sneakers. _

_Next to him was a dark skinned girl. She was on the bigger side with black wave hair in a ponytail and dark brown eyes. She was wearing a pair of blue jean shorts that stopped at her knees, a red t-shirt and white flip-flops._

_She recalls seeing them at recess in the past but never really talked to them before now._

"_Hi. I'm Emily." She waved at them with a grin on her face._

"_I'm Mercedes and this is my best friend Kurt." The girl said pointing to the boy, who smiled shyly and waved._

"_So what did you do over your summer?" She asked them all while thinking she made two new friends._

* * *

><p>Kurt nervously fiddled with the hat he was wearing. It had been so long since he had really talked to Emily, seeing as they didn't keep in touch when she had moved. The last time he saw her was a couple weeks after her mother had died. So it was definitely a whirlwind seeing her again.<p>

He took a deep breath to calm his oddly placed nerves and knocked on the door. He vaguely wondered if her father would be home just as the door opened surprising him at who he saw.

"Mr. Schue?" The confusion was clear in his voice. He knew that Emily was Mr. Schuester's niece, seeing as Jacob had announced to the whole school on his blog early but he wasn't expecting his teacher to answer the door.

"Hi Kurt. Come on in." Mr. Schue opened to the door wider to let the younger boy in. Kurt looked around the apartment, noticing the comforting home like feel to the place. He made quick note of some boxes that were around the window. (_Music. Movies. Books._ Were marked on the each of them.)

"Emily's in her room. It's just down hall second door to the right." His teacher pointed behind him. Kurt gave him a small nod trying to resist the urge to ask what he was doing here. Surely, Emily's father would be home by now.

As he made his way to his friend's room, he saw photos from various points in time. He saw some of Emily when she was younger, Mr. Schue with friends during high school and college, also of his sister, Nina, with Emily and some others. Before long, he stood in front of the closed door to Emily's room.

He knocked on it gently but didn't get a response. Frowning a little, he opened the door as quietly as he could before poking his head it. When he eyes landed on his friend he smiled softly at her peaceful expression.

He walked in the room, careful to close the door behind just as quietly as he opened, observing the girl. She had them all fooled thinking she was relaxed and happy; aside from himself, he knew that Finn and Karofsky could tell that something was wrong with her. (Finn may be an idiot and Karofsky an asshole but the years of being best friends with her, gave them an insight on the girl that not everyone had. Kurt had the feeling that if Puck wasn't locked up he would be bugging her relentlessly to tell him what was wrong.)

Kurt noticed that music was playing softly while she was resting.

_When I feel you close to me  
>It's easy to believe<br>To the depths and back again  
>To find that I'm still needing<br>Feel the fear dissipate  
>When you are everything you are<br>Feel my soul come awake  
>You carry me away<em>

Maybe it was selfish of him but he was glad that she was back because he knew that with Emily at McKinley that the bullying would be cut back or hopefully done. Finn, Mike, Sam and Matt, when he was still here, could only talk the other jocks out if for so long and Puck couldn't threaten everyone, every time they were bullied.

_When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>

__When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>_

It's not that he and the other gleeks didn't appreciate them trying to help and for the most part it works but if today had any say, things were going to go back to how they were last year. And Kurt knew that the guys won't be able to do anything this time, simply because they were on both sides of the spectrum.

_Oh, under my skin  
>Oh, under my skin<br>__Oh, under my skin_

Emily though. Emily was different. She didn't see them as losers and jocks that were wrongfully co-existing. She saw her friends getting along and having fun together. While she was on both sides o the spectrum as well, Emily had the ability to stop the bullying once and for all.

_Oh the sweet serenity  
>I'm beautifully addicted<br>You are more than I can take  
>I crave you undiluted<br>You calm the ache, I come awake  
>When you are everything you are<br>Feel the fear dissipate  
>You carry me away<em>

She was the one exception to the social hierarchy; she seemed to defy the rules of high school, all because she was liked and friends with everyone (Save for the selected few of Quinn, Jewfro and a couple of other jocks). Her status as the school's Golden Girl (Quinn was never the Golden Girl but just a replacement for the original) was back as soon as the school knew that she was back and that she was Mr. Schue's niece.

_When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>

__When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>  
><em>

_Oh, under my skin  
><em>_Oh, under my skin  
><em>_Oh, under my skin_

_Oh, yeah_

"_Just trying is something because if you don't try then nothing changes."_ He recalled her words from early. There was something in the way she had said it, really there was something in her voice during the whole conversation that had him wondering, if she had been through this before. He wondered just what exactly happened in Arizona and why she came back.

_Could I be lost  
>Could I disappear<br>Could I be lost  
>Would you find me here?<br>Could I be lost in a secret place?  
>Could I rest in the shadow of your face<em>

_Oh the sweet  
>(Could I be lost, could I disappear?)<br>Serenity  
>(Could I be lost, would you find me here?)<br>Beautifully  
>(Could I be lost in a secret place?)<br>A part of me  
>(Could I rest in the shadow of your face?)<em>

He didn't know the song that was playing or who the band was but it seemed to hit something in him. It was an impressive piece of music and while it wasn't something to he would usually listen to (_Obviously._) he wanted to know more about the band. He noticed Emily shifting on the bed; quietly he placed his bag next to hers by her desk and walked over the brunette girl.

_When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>

__When I hurt, when I bleed  
>You're holding me<br>Feel you scratching at the surface  
>Under my skin<em>_

_Oh, under my skin  
><em>_Oh, under my skin  
><em>_Oh, under my skin  
><em>_Oh, under my skin_

"Hey" Her voce of thick with sleep as she looked bleary eyed at him, "How long have you been here?" She asked, stretching her arm over her head, her back arching to relieve the stiffness in her body. She sighed contently when the tightness relaxed allowing her to sit up without a problem. She leant against the headboard as he settled down at the end of the bed.

He smiles at her, "Just a couple of minutes." He paused, his gaze moving to her iPod, the song still ringing in his ears, "What was that song?" He asked. Emily looked at him confused, an eyebrow raised, at the question before answering.

"It's called _Under my Skin _by a band called Skillet. Their a Christian Rock band but from their music you'd never tell." She explained to him. He nodded in thanks, vaguely thinking that he'll have to check out more of their songs before coming back to the reason for his visit.

"So, you want to know about the drama dubbed 'Babygate'." It's a question but he says it as more of a statement.

"Yeah."

He took a deep breath still wondering if this was a good idea and thinking the Finn and Puck would surely kill him.

"It's started around the time your uncle started the glee club up again. It was just Tina, Artie, Mercedes, Rachel and myself and we were looking for new members. I guess your uncle heard Finn singing and somehow convinced him to join." Kurt said as he continued on with the events of last year.

Because of Finn's constant attention on glee and indirectly Rachel, who had quickly developed feelings for the boy, Quinn had a moment of weakness and went to Puck with a case of wine coolers (_Seriously? Who the fuck gets drunk on wine coolers?_) and seeing as Puck seemed to have feelings for the blonde head cheerleader (_Again, what the hell happen with Rachel?_) wasn't able to turn her away, despite the fact that she was his best friend's girl. Also, the three cheerleaders join New Directions, followed by Puck, Mike and Matt, then some time later Quinn found out that she was pregnant.

However, instead of owning up and telling Finn the truth of the affair and the actual paternity of the baby, she lied telling him that he was the father of the baby and that he got her pregnant while they were in the hot tub (Emily can't decide if her best friend is naïve or just stupid before coming up with the decision that he's both. She still loves the boy though. It's _Finn _and she's known him since she was practically in diapers and it's really kind of hard not to love him.). Quinn, however, didn't allow Puck to help out at all, calling him a Lima Loser (She wanted to stop right there and go after the blonde).

He explained to her of the union of Puckleberry (She's completely pissed that Noah let Rachel get away. Especially since she's knows that he had a major crush on her growing up.) and their week long relationship, him taking the slushie for her and choosing glee over football (They way she sees it that he was being the Noah that she and the Jewish girl knew with some of the Puck that they didn't.) before _she _broke up with _him_ because they had feelings for other people.

Then suddenly it was sectionals and Rachel told Finn that he wasn't the father but that Puck was and the fight, him quitting because they all knew and didn't tell him (She thinks that he had every right to do that because these are people claiming to be his friends and they kept something huge from him.). He told her how Finn showed up and saved the day, allowing them to win the competition.

The first attempt at Finchel (She winces at the name, thinking it sounded like more bird then anything else.) and him breaking up with her to 'find his inner rockstar' (After hearing this part she realizes that Finn really was or is an idiot) and dated Brittney and Santana. At. The. Same. Time.

Jesse St. James made his appearance at this time and Rachel fell fast and hard for the boy and of Finn's jealously toward the older boy. Kurt told her about Rachel's birth mother and how the girl had a sudden need to find out more about her. There's the Glist (_Boo hoo. Quinn isn't popular and at the top anymore. Next time don't get pregnant._), Rachel's 'Run Joey Run' video with Jesse, Finn and Puck (She's wince at the mental image because even she can tell that ended with disaster written all over it but she also really wants to see the video. She wondered if Rachel still had it.) and how Jesse broke up with her.

Then it seemed that Jesse, after transferring schools to be with Rachel, went back to Carmel and Vocal Adrenaline by music number causing New Directions to go in a funk. Then there's something about Rachel getting a text from Jesse to meet him in the parking lot, only to ambush by the rival show choir who decided it would be fun to throw eggs at a vegan with Jesse crushing one right on top of her head after professing his love to the girl. (_So romantic that one._) Then their awesome Funk number putting Jesse and them in their place.

Finally, it was Regionals and Finn and Rachel are confessing their love for one another, and all of them were doing a Journey melody, where they not only lost but they didn't even place. Quinn water broke, the club-minus Rachel-went with her to the hospital. The blonde gave birth to a girl and they give her up for adoption. Rachel's birth mother, who after wanting to get know the diva, rejects her and adopted Quinn and Puck's baby, naming her Beth. (She wondered if anyone else noticed the weirdness in that.)

Emily sat on the bed staring past Kurt's head at the wall with a pensive look on her face. Her blue eyes are slightly glazed over as she processed what she was just told. Kurt for the most part is quiet after that, catching his breath from his tale. He glanced over at the clock and he figured that he had been there for about an hour and a half.

"I missed the awesomeness that was Puckleberry?" She finally asked, startling Kurt because _really that's what she focused on?_ Kurt let out a bark of laughter at the question.

"Yes but Mercedes and myself are pretty sure that there will be a reunion in the near future." He answered her.

"There better be. I didn't watch him moon over her when we were kids for nothing." She said, wincing when she realized her slip.

There's a knock on her bedroom door before he could say anything.

"Emily? Kurt?" Her uncle's voice brought her back to reality as he opened the door to the room. Both teens looked over at him when he came into view.

"Yeah Uncle Will?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted pizza for dinner. Kurt would you like to stay?" His teacher asked the boy, throwing him off slightly. Kurt glanced over at Emily and when she noticed him looking she gave him a small smile and a nod.

"I'd loved to Mr. Schue."

"Great. I'll go order and let you know when it comes." He left after that hearing the thanks just as he closed the door. When Emily was sure that her uncle was away from her door she cleared her throat and turned back to Kurt.

"So, that was 'Babygate' and it's after math?" She asked thinking that it sounded more like an episode of Degrassi.

He nodded.

"Yeah. It's probably why Puck decided to steal that ATM machine because he hasn't dealt with all of that still." Kurt theorized.

Emily bit her lip before agreeing with the assessment. She sighed, laying back down; Kurt shifted so that he was laying next to her.

They were quiet after that, their minds miles away from where they were. Emily on what she had just learned and wondered how she was going to do with Quinn for hurting her two best friends; while he was thinking of the girl next to him. It seemed that the opened and friendly girl from his childhood had become a closed off mystery over the five years and wondered what had caused it.

"Emily?" His voice was soft as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Hmm?"

"Can I asked you something?

"What?" Her eyes were closed as she felt relaxed in the longest time so she didn't see him gnaw his lower lip.

"Where's your dad?" Her eyes snapped opened and he felt her tense in an instant. Again, she was quiet not knowing what to do, so in the end she doesn't say anything.

"Is-is he still in Arizona?" He asked hesitantly when he realized that she wasn't going to say anything.

"No." Her voice is voided of anything like it was early at the end of her fight with Sam and it something seemed to settle on his chest at the lack of emotion.

"Is he at work then?"

"No."

"Running some errands?"

"No."

"Then where-" She cut him off.

"He's dead." Kurt closed his mouth, stunned before realizing exactly what that meant for her.

Both her parents were dead.

She was an orphan.

His heart broke for her but he didn't say the typical 'I'm sorry' and 'It'll be okay.' because he has been there and he knew that it won't be. He was just lucky that he still had his father, even after his heart attack a few weeks ago but to lose both of your parents. That's something else entirely.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Once again, they were silent; the air was slightly thick with a tension that was unintentional on both parts. They both stared up at the ceiling wondering what they could do now as they waited for the pizza.

"Kurt?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't tell anyone." Her voice wasn't any louder then a whisper but he could hear the slight crack in her voice. He wondered if she had let it out or if she kept it all bottled up. "Please."

It was the desperate plea that sealed it for him. He knew that he would keep this with him until she gave him the okay; he may be a gossip but he also knew when to draw the line and Emily didn't want anyone to know. Not even her best friends it seemed.

"I will." She relaxed when she heard the sincerity in tone.

"Thank you."

"Hey Emily?" He asked after a couple of minutes. There was something in his voice that had her shifting on her side to look at him, where he turned his head to face her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you're back despite everything." He told her with a small and somewhat sad smile which she returned. The was a muffled knock from the front of the apartment and the opening of the door. She could barely hear her uncle's voice as he paid for the pizza before the door closed again.

"Me too Kurt." She could hear the footsteps her uncle made walking toward her bedroom.

He knocked twice before speaking through the door.

"Pizza is here."

As Emily and Kurt got up from the bed and made their way into the kitchen, she decided that she was going to talk to Santana later tonight because she knew one thing was certain.

_Quinn Fabray was going down._

* * *

><p>It was approaching ten thirty at night. Kurt had left sometime around nine when he dad had called wondering where he was. After he was gone, Emily was left with her thoughts and she still struggled with everything that she had learned.<p>

Pushing all of the old drama into the back of her mind, she grabbed her laptop from her desk and walked back over to her bed. She pressed the space bar to wake it up from its hibernation. Her background caused her to paused as she stared at the photo taken just a couple of weeks before the accident.

It was of her and her father celebrating her sixteenth birthday. He had surprised her with a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am. It had seen better days but it had gotten her from point A to point B perfectly. Her arms were wrapped around her father's waist and his was around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. They had matching grins on their faces as the leaned back against the hood of the car. In the background was the Grand Canyon as she had driven them up there for a day trip.

They had a lot of fun that day.

She pulled herself back to reality before her thoughts drifted to somewhere she wasn't quite ready to deal with yet and quickly clicking on the internet icon.

The news feed of her face book page appeared almost instantly allowing her to relax. Before she could read what her friends from Arizona were doing she noticed that she quite a few notifications and friend requests.

_Finn Hudson wants to be friends._

_Rachel Barbra Berry wants to be friends._

_Mercedes Jones wants to be friends_

_Mike Chang wants to be friends._

_Tina Cohen-Chang wants to be friends._

_Kurt Hummel wants to be friends._

_Artie Abrams wants to be friends._

_Brittney S. Pierce wants to be friends._

_Santana Lopez wants to be friends._

_Matt Rutherford wants to be friends._

_Jacob Ben-Israel wants to be friends._

_Dave Karosky wants to be friends._

She quickly accepted the request from everyone but the last two; she had declined Jacob's request because seriously? She didn't want him on her page and find out about her life. The creep really needed to learn some boundaries. With Dave she didn't know what to do, despite everything he was still her friend but she didn't know the _Karosky_ persona, the bully but the _Dave_ identity, the boy whose been there for her since she was six.

She hoped that he was still in there somewhere.

She accepted the request.

Emily went through her other notifications, looking at the wall posts her old friends left saying that they missed her and wished for her to come back home and all of that other stuff. She pushed back to the tears at Amelia comment.

**Amelia Dylan Tyson-Emily Preston  
><strong>_Just wanted to say that I missed you and wish you were here instead of Ohio because lets face it, Ohio is the most boring state in the US and you know it. Visit if you can. You're my best friend and I love you._

_It'll will get easier. It won't ever go away but it will get easier. Try to move on and live your life to the fullest. He won't want to waste away and you know that._

She clicked to 'like' the post but didn't have the emotion energy to reply just yet. So, she went to the page of someone she promised to talk to, once she had gained some new information.

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_She needs to go down._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_He told you?_

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_Everything. That bitch won't know what's coming to her._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Can't wait. ;P_

_On an off note what do you have to say about it all?_

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_What the hell are you talking about?_

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Ha! Come off it Emily. You fucking have to feel something after all the shit you learned about last year._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_Honestly? Aside from the obvious, I'm also kind of pissed I missed the Rachel and Noah relationship. Fling. Whatever._

_Plus Finchel sounds like a bird and Puckleberry sounds way better. __J_

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Yeah. Manhands was way less annoying when she was with Puck then she is with Finnessa._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_Don't do that._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_? =/_

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_The name calling. Rachel's actually really cool once you get past the intensity she has. And besides, it's bullying and I cannot stand bullies._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Please. It's harmless teasing._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_No its not! I tell you what I told Finn, Kurt and Rachel earlier._

_It's damaging to someone's spirit._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Whatever._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_You really don't know that you could potentially break someone by doing that. You don't realize that while it may be fun and innocent for you and your friends but to others completely different. It ruins someone self-esteem. It ruins someone entirely. And one day you'll drive someone over the edge and the results won't be a laughing matter but something completely seriously and irreversible and you'll live with this consuming guilt for a very long time._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_Sounds like you're speaking from experience._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_You could say that._

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_I hear what you're saying._

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_Do you?_

**Santana Lopez  
><strong>_We'll find out on Monday won't we?_

**Emily Preston  
><strong>_I guess so._


	5. Emily and Noah Time with Security Guards

Okay first off this is dedicated to **graciegirl000** because I am an absolute liar. I'm sorry I told you that it would be a while that we would see Puck because he's actually in this one. I'm sorry. Don't hate me.

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters. The only thing I own is Emily, Nina and Michael.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<br>****Emily and Noah Time. Only with Security Guards.**

_Her laugh rung loudly in their living room as she ran away from her father, who was chasing her. Her mother, sitting at the piano, turned and when she was just about to pass the bench, scooped her up in her arms. Her mother settled her on her lap, keeping her safe from her father's tickle attack._

"_Aw. Nina! Not fair." Her father had whined with a pout. She giggled at him while her mother rolled her eyes at her husband._

"_Honestly Michael." Her mother huffed. She tugged on the sleeve of the sweater her mother wore. She wrinkled her nose at color absentmindedly. She didn't like pink._

_Her mother looked down at her with a soft smile, "Yes Emily?" she asked her seven year old._

_Emily's startling cobalt blue eyes bore innocently up at her mother. After seven years she was always still taken back by the intense color._

"_Can you teach me how to play the piano?" she asked, turning her gaze to the beautiful black instrument in front of them. Her mom gives her a soft smile at the question all while nodding._

"_Of course baby girl."_

_Nina settled her daughter on the space next to her of the piano bench. Michael sat down on one of the arm chairs facing the instrument watching his two favorite girls giggling over silly and on purpose mistakes for the next half and an hour. Not long after all of the fun, Emily had gotten the song Chopsticks down._

"_I did it mommy!"_

_Her mother grinned._

"_Yes you did baby girl."_

_There was a knock at the door causing the family of three to turn in the direction. Michael rose from his seat and walked over; he opened the door to reveal one of Emily's best friends, Noah Puckerman._

"_Hello Noah." Her father greeted as he let the younger boy in. Noah shyly entered the house with his hands in his pockets and hazel eyes trained on his feet. He missed the gently smile her father sent him._

"_Hi Mr. Preston."_

_Emily hopped off the bench and quickly made her way to her friend. She jumped in front of him slightly, startling him to look up._

"_Hi Noah!" She exclaimed with a grin. Noah took his hands out of his pockets absentmindedly as he gave her a grin of his own._

"_Hi Emily. Do you want to play?" He asked innocently, looking at her parents asking them silently if it was okay. They gave him soft smiles. Emily bounced up and down excitedly, having an idea._

_She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the instrument and her mother._

"_Oh. Oh. You should learn how to play the piano with me. My mommy was teaching before you came over." She told him before stopping in front of her mother and looking up at her, "Can you teach Noah too, mommy?" She asked, her blue eyes wide._

_Her mother chuckled._

"_Only if Noah wants to." She said to her daughter while looking at her friend encouragingly. Noah looked up at the older woman before turning his hazel gaze to the big instrument with interest. Nina smiled knowingly at his unhidden curiosity._

"_Okay."_

_He grinned when Emily clapped eagerly._

"_Yay! This is going to be our thing Noah." She told him softly as her mother shifted to make room for all three of them to sit._

"_Just you and me."_

* * *

><p>It was Monday morning, therefore making it her second day at McKinley, and already she was exhausted. Despite that though, she flew through her first period (<em>US History first thing in the morning. Someone hates me, <em>she thought as she had sat between Kurt and an empty seat. Kurt had told her it was Noah's.) as well as her second period. Unfortunately, she couldn't talk to Santana again because she had to focus on getting the day's assignment done so she only had to worry about the other assignments that would allow her to catch up with the class. Over the weekend she had finished all of her French work, most of Calculus, History and English but she hadn't even touched her Chemistry. She repeated the process over again during Calculus, thankfully having Mike there to help her when she had needed it. _I'm going to work on math before anything else, _she thought vaguely during one of the trickery problems.

By the time lunch rolled around she was practically dead on her feet, both mentally and physically. As she made her way to the line for food, she felt the hairs on her neck stand up, allowing her to realize that someone was staring at her. Tensing just slightly, she casually looked around, making it looked like she was trying to figure out where she was going to sit. Her eyes landed on a table full of jocks and connected with the brown orbs of her best friend.

He realized that she was looking back and gave her pleading look, silently begging her to let him explain but she just couldn't. She gave him a scathing look that had him turning away. She regretted her actions almost immediately but she had to stay strong; she needed to allow herself some time to process the information before she could do anything about it.

As she gathered her food she looked around the cafeteria again this time actually looking around for somewhere to sit before she spotted Rachel and Finn standing near the entrance; it looked as if they were talking about something that had them both on edge, before Finn finally saying something that seemed to have hurt Rachel. She frowned at the pained expression on the brunette diva's face, while absentmindedly paying for her food.

She paused watching as Finn walked over to the table where all the glee clubbers were and Rachel was sadly moving to sit by herself at a table on the other end. She couldn't stop the disgusted disbelief at Finn for not sitting with his girlfriend or the fact that the other glee clubbers didn't even acknowledge Rachel's pain. Though, she noted Mike, Artie, Brittany and Tina's uncomfortable expressions as Finn had sat down between Mercedes and Artie.

It seemed that she had gathered the attention of the club. They were looking at her expectantly, like they _knew _she was going to sit with them and not bother with Rachel. She stared at them, the shock clear on her face before she shook her head at them. She made her way toward the lonely diva, her intentions clear.

Rachel's back was to the group, so she didn't see her walking near her nor did she see the startled looks on the other glee clubbers. Finally she stood in front of the girl, gently placing her tray down on the table causing her to look up with surprise. Emily watched as Rachel glanced over shoulder to the table her teammates sat at before turning back to Emily, who had sat down. The other girl was looking back at the table as well with a look at them just daring for them to say something to her before moving her gaze back to Rachel.

"Hey Rachel. How's your day so far?" Emily asked, grabbing her fork and poking the spaghetti with it. She was looking at her food a little wary wondering if it was edible or not, missing the dumbfounded look she was receiving. She gathered a small bite of the food and placed it in her mouth, chewing slowly. Swallowing, she deemed it edible and took a bigger bite.

She looked up when she didn't get a response.

"Rachel?"

Rachel shook herself out of her startled state of mind and focused on Emily's question.

"Hello Emily. My day has been going as well as it possibly could. I have so busy focusing on my studies over the weekend and for the day that I had forgotten to look for a song today to sing in glee and I-"

"Whoa. Whoa. Rachel. A simple fine would work." She chuckled. Rachel gave her a slightly offended look.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was meek causing Emily to frown again.

"It's fine Rachel. I don't care if you use a lot of words." She said slowly trying to gage Rachel's reaction.

"It would seem that only you would think that." Rachel told her sadly causing Emily to sigh, knowing what the problem was.

"Look Rachel, it's great that you have a large vocabulary and use but it's part of the reason why you're bullied." She told the girl, who opened her mouth to say something, but she continued on, "You live in a small town in Ohio. Everyone else isn't going to be speaking like the swallowed a dictionary." Rachel paused at the familiar insult but it sounded different. It was spoken with affection from a friend. It was strange.

"Why does it sound like you're insinuating that I should change who I am to fit in with everyone else?" Rachel asked bluntly. Emily shook her head.

"That's not what I'm saying at all." She took a deep breath trying figure out how say this right, "You use way to many words to answer a question that really only required you to use like five, six the most." She bit her lip in concentration, "You can still use your wide vocabulary and not bore someone to sleep when they're talking to you." Emily spoke as bluntly as Rachel had.

"It still sounds like you are saying I should change just so I could fit in." Rachel said contemplating Emily's words.

"Doesn't everyone change to fit in with society's standards though?" Emily asked rhetorically. Rachel thought about it.

"I guess you're right about that."

"Plus the only reason you should change is for yourself and not for others. So if you think that people would like you better if you used less words but still keep the impressive vocabulary then more power to you." Emily said with a shrug before returning to her food. Rachel followed suit thinking over Emily's advice.

After eating in silence for about five minutes, Emily spoke again.

"So, why were you sitting by yourself when you have a boyfriend and friends on the other side of the cafeteria?" She asked, setting her fork down to take a sip of her water.

"Finn and I got into an argument on the way here and well," Rachel paused thinking over her words, "I don't really have any friends in the glee club. Or at all." She said the last three words bitterly. Emily hated that she wasn't surprised at her words but she chose not to focus on them as of now.

"What was the argument about? Maybe I can help." Emily offered. Rachel looked torn, obviously debating the pros and cons in her head.

"It was about Noah." Emily couldn't stop the surprised look appearing on her face.

"Noah?" The confusion was clear in her voice, "Why were you fighting about Noah?"

"Finn was ranting about how selfish it was of Noah to get thrown in the juvenile detention center and how he didn't think on the affect it would have on New Directions. And while I agree with that part, I told Finn that Noah was still going through some things from last year and that he just reacted in a way that he knew." Rachel told her. Emily had a knowing gleam in her eyes.

"Beth."

Rachel looked startled at Emily using the little girl's name before nodding sadly.

"Yes. Over the summer it seemed that Noah was doing fine but I guess when school started and seeing Quinn act like last year never happen something caused him to snap." Rachel said dejectedly, poking at her salad with her fork. Emily puffed out a breathe audibly.

"I'm sensing that Finn didn't react well to you standing up for Noah." It was question but she said as a statement.

"No he did not. He is under the impression that Noah is now after anyone he likes, therefore, I am not allowed to be alone with Noah." Emily let out a bark of laughter at Finn's apparent stupidity.

"Please he has to know that is never going to happen right? I mean your fathers and Noah's mom are like best friends and you've spent Hanukah together for as long as I can remember. Please tell me he didn't actually say that you can't see Noah?" She asked seriously, wondering if Finn really had become well, a douche.

"He did but I told him that it was unreasonable then proceeded to tell him why that it was practically impossible for me to not see Noah." Emily snorted again.

"Bet he loved that." She said sarcastically. Rachel gave her tight smile.

"Oh he did."

She rolled her eyes at Finn's overreaction.

"Have you visited him?" Emily asked after a few minutes of silence between them, her voice soft.

"No." Rachel looked down at her food and spoke just as quietly.

"Are you?"

"I don't know."

"Let me know when you do?"

Rachel nodded before they both turned back to their food. They talked about their classes and how Emily was adjusting to the move, trying to not worry to much about a mohawked boy that they both cared about; one more then she should.

* * *

><p>Emily was at her locker getting her Calculus things to take to the library as it was now fifth period, which thankfully was her free period, when Rachel came up to her, English book and binder clutched to her chest. She was so focused on making sure that she had everything she needed that she didn't hear the diva come up to her until she cleared her throat, causing her to jump.<p>

"Jesus. Rachel don't _do _that." She said, placing a hand against her racing heart. Rachel looked apologetic and opened her mouth to say something but Emily beat her to the punch.

"Don't apologize. It wasn't on purpose and I know that. Just," Emily paused to allow a teasing grin to appear, "warn a girl when you're going to sneak up on them. Okay?" She asked jokingly. Rachel laughed lightly at the humor.

"Deal. Where are you going?" She asked as Emily closed her locker and started to walk the path toward the library; she was glad to see that it was in the same direction as her own class.

"Library. I've got free period so I'm working to finish the rest of the Calculus work so that I'm caught up. You?" Emily spared a glance at the shorter girl, absentmindedly realizing that she only came up to her chin.

"I have English with Mr. Hayes." Emily thought back to her own class with the teacher.

"You're going to the computer lab again and getting assigned your partners." Emily told her. Rachel looked confused at the information causing her to smile at the look, "I have him second period."

"Oh. Who did you get paired with?"

"Santana." She couldn't help but notice the flinch that she gave at the mention of the girl. Her heart broke knowing that Santana was probably one of her worse tormenters.

"You called?" The girl mentioned asked from behind them. Rachel tensed as both of them turned to face her. Emily made sure to keep her face neutral but her eyes flashed a warning that Latina noted. The surrounding people quieted slightly at the sight of the three girls.

"I was just telling Rachel what was going on today for Mr. Hayes and that we had gotten paired for the project. Right Rachel?" She asked her, looking at her encouragingly seeing as she seemed to have made herself even tinier. She tried to ignore the white knuckles holding the books tighter. Rachel looked up to see the look and she stood straighter, though she was still tense.

"Yes. I just hope that I'm not partnered with Jacob. He's been more insistent since the Brittney Spears performance." Rachel said. All three girls grimaced at the mentioned boy.

"You didn't really help with the naughty school girl look either Ma-_Berry._" Santana corrected herself at Emily's look. Rachel winced at that particular disaster and Emily looked curiously confused.

"Do I even want to know?" She asked warily, shifting blue eyes between the two other girls, who in turn stare at each for a silent moment.

"No." They spoke at the same time, startling all three of them before Emily snorted, for some reason finding this funny. Rachel giggled and Santana let out a bark of laughter of her own. Everyone around them stop and stare at the trio; it was frankly a weird and if not slightly terrifying sight to see Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez and Emily Preston _laughing together._

"Right then not going to ask." Emily said after they had calmed down as the warning bell rang signaling that fifth period was going to start. Santana looked at Rachel with a calculating gleam in her dark eyes causing Emily to stand on guard.

"Don't think this means we're friends Berry. I still think you're annoying as fuck." With that Santana turned on her heel and sauntered off, her cheerio skirt brushing against her thighs lightly.

"Okay then." Emily stretched out to break the sudden awkward silence that had fell between them. "We better get going."

They quickly and quietly continued to walk to their prospective classes. Rachel's was the first to come up but she paused before she went inside. Emily was still walking down the hall when Rachel's voice rang out.

"Emily?"

She turned around to walk backwards, not saying anything but her expression told her to continue.

"I'm going to see him after school. Would you like to come with me?"

Emily didn't even hesitate.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>She was fidgeting in her seat in French, gaining worried glances every few minutes from Kurt. She didn't really notice them as she was trying to figure out what she was going to say to Noah after school. Plus she was also excited to see him; out of all three of the boys she was closet to Noah with Dave coming very close. She and Noah shared a love of music, it had helped them when they needed it the most.<p>

With only twenty-five minutes left in class Kurt finally snapped.

"Would you stop squirming?" he asked. Emily stopped instantly with an apologetic look on her face.

"Sorry." She mumbled. He looked at her curiously.

"What has you so on edge?" He asked confused before something clicked, "Are you still worried that I'm going to say something? Because I swear to you that I'm not." He whispered hurriedly.

"No. It has nothing to do with that. I," she paused, letting out a breath as she slumped in her seat, "I'm planning on visiting Noah."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He looked at her with a thought expression on his face.

"Are you going by yourself? Or with someone?" He asked slowly. Emily chewed on her lower lip for a moment before answering.

"Rachel's coming." He didn't looked all that surprised but she noticed the gleam in his eyes at the gossip he just learned, "And don't you dare say anything to Finn. She has _every_ right to see him because they are friends. And if Finn has a problem with that then he can fucking deal with it."

Kurt looked at her, eyes wide and mouth opened a little, clearly startled at her rant.

"Okay."

She nodded in thanks as she went back to her work, not noticing that Kurt was still staring at her with a contemplative look in his eyes.

_This is going to end badly, _he thought.

* * *

><p>Rachel and Emily were waiting in the visiting area at the Lima Juvenile Detention Center, sitting next to each other on the cold metal bench. Rachel had her hands folded in front of her with her back straight, legs crossed at the ankle; while Emily was hunched forward slightly with her chin resting on her hand, absentmindedly tapping a rhythm with her pointer finger of her free hand against the metal table, her legs crossed together at the thighs. The two brunette girls drew stares from the incarcerated boys as they were complete opposites with Rachel looking all proper with her pink argyle animal sweater (It was a horse this time) and a plaid pink and white mini skirt, white knees socks and black Mary Janes; Emily looked more of a lazy skater with a pair a black skinny jeans, grey tank top, plaid blue, black and green zip up hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She had her Etnies on as well.<p>

They backs were to the door that Noah would come through. So when he walked in, they didn't see him pause when he spotted their table. He instantly recognized Rachel from the back (cause lets face no other chick sits that straight unless you're Rachel Berry) but the other girl not so much. He walked over to them casually.

"What are you doing here, Berry?" He asked still behind them. Rachel jumped having not expect him to startle her before standing up and whipping around. She gasped when she spotted his face, raising her hand to touch him. Her finger tips grazed the bruised area of his skin; he shivered at the contact.

"Oh Noah. What happened?" She asked concerned at the discoloration of his right eye. The other girl turned around slower then Rachel had and whistled when she saw the damage.

"Jesus Noah. Who the fuck did you piss off?" The girl asked. The words were mocking but he heard the concern in her voice. He looked her over before realizing who she actually was.

"_Well shit."_ He breathed as he stood staring at her stupidly. She snorted at his greeting.

"Yeah. Hi to you too Noah." She paused, "Now are you going to sit down or not?" She asked rhetorically. He finished circling the table and sat down in front of the two brunette girls. Rachel took her seat back as well.

"What the hell are you doing here Emily?" He asked, "I thought you were in Arizona." She raised an eyebrow.

"I am. I'm just a figment of your imagination." She said seriously before rolling her eyes at him, "I moved back last week genius. Cause I sure as hell did not come up to Ohio just to see your ugly ass in juvie." He winced at her words.

"Look Em-" She put a hand up silencing him.

"We will talk about _that_ later. Now you just explain to us why the fuck you have a nasty ass shiner on your face." She demanded with Rachel nodding in agreement. He squirmed at their piercing stares. _Fuck my life, _he thought cause it would be these two girls that would make him feel like he was seven again and he had just put gum in Jewfro's hair. _It's like with Ma all over again, _he thought pityingly.

"It's nothing Em." He waved it off; he felt more uncomfortable when Rachel frowned and Emily scoffed.

"That is not nothing Noah." Rachel insisted. He ignored the warm feeling in his chest at her concern.

"Whatever. Now what are you two doing here? Especially you Rach, I figure Hudson would pitch a fit at you being here." Puck raised an eyebrow at the small diva, who had started to fidget this time. Emily looked upwards as if saying a prayer.

_Really. I've only been around them for ten minutes and I'm already tired of their sexual tension. Can't you just get them together and save us all the trouble._

"Finn doesn't know."

Both Emily and Puck stared at her, not expecting her to keep this from her boyfriend.

"Don't exactly blame you with how he acted today." Emily said after a moment. It was true with what happened at lunch and him not talking to her for the rest of the day, Emily wouldn't have told him anyways. But that was her not Rachel.

"What'd you mean?" Puck asked looking between the two. Rachel looked Emily obviously not wanting Noah to know but she ignored her.

"Lets just say that Finn is getting the douche award in my book." Emily stated, earning a snort from Noah and a disapproving glare from Rachel. Emily shot her a look right back, "I'm serious Rachel with what you told me at lunch and what I learned from others, it makes me wonder why the hell you're with the idiot."

"Isn't he one of you're best friends?" Rachel asked rhetorically.

"So? He still an idiot. Besides Dave's one of my best friends and he's apparently the biggest bully in the school." She spat out bitterly, startling the two Jewish teens. Puck grimaced at her knowing.

"Em-" This time she stopped him with a scolding look.

"Not. Now." She said slowly. He nodded, understanding that this was conversation for just them.

"Anyways, I always saw you with someone else Rachel and I know that he has liked since practically fore-_ow!"_ She flinched and bent down to rub her shin while glaring at Noah, who was glaring back with Rachel looking between the two absolutely confused.

"Can we not talk about Finn?" Puck asked almost desperately cause he really didn't need to hear about Rachel's relationship with the guy. Emily looked him knowingly to which he ignored. What ever Emily thinks is wrong because he _does not like _Rachel. At all.

He relaxed when they nodded. _Thank god!_

Rachel glanced at her watch and gasped causing the other two to look at her.

"I'm sorry Noah but I have to go. My fathers are expecting home in fifteen minutes." She explained sadly, not wanting to leave him. Emily watched as he seemed deflate in disappointment with Rachel not looking much better. Her heart broke for the two who cared about each other more then they let on but were too sacred to do anything about it.

"It's fine Berry. Wasn't expecting you stay all day. Fuck wasn't expecting anyone actually." Rachel frowned at his words but chose not to say anything.

"I'll come by again Noah." He looked up, an almost desperate kind of hope shining in his hazel eyes had her breathless; she tore her eyes away to face Emily, "I'll see you at school tomorrow." When Emily nodded Rachel turned and walked out of the visitation room.

As she made her way to her car, she tried to get that last look Noah gave out of her head. The intensity of his gaze had left her tingling and out of breath with her heart pounding. Despite being in love with Finn, it seemed that Noah effect on her hadn't changed.

_Oh this is definitely not good. Not good at all._

* * *

><p>With Rachel gone to act as a buffer, Puck shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Emily was staring at the wall, just above his left shoulder, thinking about something intensely. He knew that he needed to explain his action for the last five years but fuck it if he wasn't scared. <em>God, I'm such a fucking pussy.<em>

"_Why?" _Her soft pained voice brought him back from his thoughts. Looking up, he saw that her blue were looking at him like she didn't even know who he was anymore. He hated that look on her face.

He breathed out a breath as he thought about her question.

"Shit was hard when you left Em. I was still trying to deal with my dad leaving and having to do _so much_ at home for ma. And then when you're ma died and you and your dad moved, it was like I just lost more of a my family." He said quietly looking at the table, "After you were gone, things with Dave were going to shit and Finn was just becoming stupid. Fuck even things with Rachel were changing and I just couldn't deal." He chanced a glance up but she had unreadable look in her blue gaze.

"So that warrants you to start bullying and becoming manwhore? That's not the Noah I knew. That's not _my brother._" She whispered the last words, feeling the tears start to form at saying them for the first time despite feeling it since the day her mother taught them to play the piano for the first time.

Puck's eyes shot up at her announcement and her pain at what he had become was clear. In an very unbadass moment he could feel a stinging behind his eyes as he continued to look at his best frie-_No! His sister._

"I was so angry and bitter. You were gone, Dave was pulling away, Finn was becoming someone else, and Rachel was different." He admitted softly as the tears finally won and started to fall. Her own were silently running down as well. "Playing the piano and guitar helped until it just _didn't _anymore. Then in eighth grade, I had slushied _Rachel_ of all people." He whispered her named, horrified that he did that to his friend. The betrayed and disgusted expression that had appeared on her face when he was walking away gave him nightmares for a week.

"_You didn't." _She whispered back, absolutely appalled that the girl who just with them, the girl _Noah was in love with, _was his first victim.

"It was an accident. I swear to you Emily. I would've _never _done that to her on purpose." He rushed out, "I was turning a corner and didn't see her until it was to late. We had bumped into each other and my slushy fell on her but the damage was done and people were laughing at her and were thinking I was awesome. Before I could apologize, I was being pulled away." Emily could hear the self-loathing in his voice and her heart felt for him.

"When I tried to explain what happened later, she refused to talk to me. Not that I blame her." He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart; he nearly jumped when he felt her hand on top of his but he looked down at the table while folding his hands around hers. "I just didn't care after that."

"But you do now." Her voice was soft and caring and full of understanding, that he had to tighten grip on her hands to ground himself from breaking down fully.

"I do now."

"I'm guessing that all this has a play into Quinn and," She paused not quite sure how he would react, "Beth?"

His whole body went ridged and he snapped his head up at his little girl's name.

"Who told you?"

"Not Quinn that's for sure." He smirked falsely at her attempt to light the mood. "Kurt but I asked him because Jacob mention something about Babygate on his blog when he wrote his article on my return. So don't be mad at him. Please." He shook his head.

"I won't. If I'm being honest I'm glad it was him that decided to tell you." He said, "I tried to be there for her. I did Emily. You gotta believe me. She didn't want anything to do with me but you have to know that I did everything in my power to own up to it. Please believe me." He was becoming slightly hysterical at the thought of her not believing him and he hated the vulnerability he was feeling. "Cause I'm not Lima Loser. I'm not him."

"Shh. Shh. Of course I believe you." She whispered soothingly, trying to comfort him. To calm him. "And you are most definitely _not_ your father, Noah. Never in a million years." She moved to sit next to him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and pulled him to her. "We'll get through this Noah. We will."

"Just you and me."


	6. Emily's Epic Battle Pt 1

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters nor do I own A Little More by Skillet. The only thing I own is Emily, Nina and Michael.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<br>****Emily's Epic Battle Against the New Directions Pt. 1**

"_Noah!" She yelled, annoyed that he took her sheet music from her. He laughed as he ran away with the papers and she chased after him. She needed to get this combination down for a song she had been working on for the past month and this particular part was giving her problems and she didn't want to ask her mother for help. Especially since she had been so tired as of lately._

_But she didn't want to ruin his fun. He hadn't laughed like this in a while as he had become quiet and was quick to anger. His father, Aaron, had walked out on him and his eight month pregnant wife. The only thing that seemed to help was the piano lessons with her mother and the guitar lesson that she signed him up for._

"_Noah. Come on I need to get this done." She said as she chased him out into her front yard. She saw him clutch the papers tighter and she felt her annoyance rise with the adding creases. _He's ruining my music! _She screamed in her head as she picked up her pace._

_Once she was close enough to him, she launched herself onto his back, winding her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He staggered forward but caught himself before they fell to the ground by bracing himself against a near by tree. He had grunted at the impact and quickly grabbed her legs to make sure she wouldn't fall._

_She heard the crinkle of paper and nearly growled in his ear._

"_Give me my music Noah Eli Puckerman." She said quietly, knowing full well that he hated the use of his full name._

"_You've been working this song nonstop for a month, you need a break Em." He told her seriously as she slid of his back and stepped in front of him, "You're going to run yourself dry." He spoke way to wisely for an eleven year old._

"_Oh and you couldn't ask me to play like a normal person?" She asked rhetorically, "No of course not! You had to steal my music and run away like you were five again. Honestly Noah." She said exasperatedly but the corner of her lips tugged up in a reluctant smile. Though, it seemed that he had not seen as he was staring at the ground with a frown on his face._

"_I'm sorry Emily. I've just," He struggled to find the right words as he spoke about his feelings, something that he hated doing since his dad left. "missed you is all. It feels like I never see you anymore." He said softly._

_She couldn't find anything to say to that because it was true._

_In the last few months things have been so chaotic that she, Noah, Dave and Finn had not spent anytime together. Finn, Dave and Noah were busy with football while Finn did basketball and Dave with wrestling. But it her and Noah that were the busiest. Noah, while not only having his piano and guitar lessons and football but he had baseball and taking care of his mother. She was surprised at how it wasn't him that was burnt out with everything going on in his life. Granted he had Rachel and the Berry's to help with things at home along with her own parents and her with the piano and guitar lessons. Still though, she was waiting for him to have his breaking point_

"_You know what, you're right Noah." He looked at her hopefully, "I have been to busy with this music and I am in need of a break." She told him and he smiled brightly, hazel eyes shining. "Why don't we invite Dave and Finn over and have a movie marathon? Just the four us like it used to be." She suggested and she could practically feel the happiness come off of him._

"_Okay."_

_She nodded as they walked back into her house. Her mother sitting in one of the chairs in the living room, reading the paper. She looked up at the two of them entering._

"_I thought you two were playing outside?" Nina asked her daughter and her best friend. She saw the guilty look appear on Noah's face and the slight glare on her daughter's aimed at the boy, who gave her some papers back._

"_We were but then we wondered if we could invite Finn and Dave over and have movie marathon. Please mom? Can we?" Her daughter asked, looking up at her with wide, startling cobalt blue eyes. Noah added his own hazel eyes that just as bad as Emily's if not more so with everything that was going on in his life._

"_It's fine with me. Would like to have some pizza while you watch your movies?" She asked with a small smile as the two young children lit up._

"_Yes! Thanks mom!"_

"_Thank you Mrs. Preston!"_

"_Go and get everything ready and I'll call their parents." They were gone by the time she finished her words._

_Ten minutes later, Emily and Noah were still setting up the living room when two older males walked into the house. She glanced up as she placed some pillows down on the floor and squealed happily at the sight of the man._

"_Uncle Will!" She screamed as she ran to him. She launched herself into his arms and he caught her effortlessly._

"_Emmy-Bear! How's my favorite niece?" He asked with a grin. She rolled her eyes at his question._

"_I'm your only niece, Uncle Will."_

_He chuckled as he and her father spotted the state of the living room and Noah standing in the middle of it straighten a pile of movies._

"_And what is going on here Emmy-Bear?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow._

"_Noah, Finn, Dave and I are having a movie marathon. Mom said we could." She looked at father worried that he would tell her other wise. Instead, he just smiled softly at his daughter._

"_Oh? And where is your mother?" Michael asked. _

"_She's in the kitchen, probably talking to Finn's mom or Dave's mom." She said as she went back to Noah._

_Will watched to the two eleven year olds thoughtfully as he thought of them and the other two boys. He wondered briefly what it would be like if the four of them were in the glee club when they went to McKinley. He was sure that with Emily and Noah's natural talent on the piano and guitar and how their voices would sound once they were stronger and Finn's own that they would be fairly good. He wasn't sure if Dave would be in the club but if what he knew of the four that he would at least try it, so that they would have something else together._

_He continued to picture the future glee club in his head as he walked into the kitchen to talk to his sister._

* * *

><p>It was Tuesday and that meant the one thing she was dreading the most.<p>

Glee.

She had made her decision as to her joining the moment she realized that she would have to move back to Lima. She knew that most of them were not going like her decision save for a couple of them but she just couldn't.

It's the piano all over again.

She was fourteen when it happen. She had fallen in love with Mesa long before and had played the piano many times to help with the memories of her old life in Ohio, of her mother and the brother she never knew.

The first thing her father had bought for their new house was a piano for her and every night she would fill the house with music, some happy and uplifting but more often then not it was sad until she had started to move on. But still it was routine that they both cherished.

It was about a month before her fourteenth birthday that she had discovered this band that had became her favorite as it seemed that their songs were written for her lift. They were called Skillet and she absolutely adored their music and their sound. They were a Christian Rock band but she didn't care; they had become of something that she could depend on when she need to find away to let go. She had the tendency to listen to them when she was running as she trained for track and volleyball. She had played some of the of the songs on the piano; mainly Lucy and A Little More as those two had become her favorite.

When it actually happened, it was about a week after her birthday and it was sudden and out of no where and she had no idea how it came to be.

She was sitting on the bench staring at the ivory keys that she had played so many times over the past three years. She had been hoping to play around with their song Monster, wondering if it could be down on the piano before she went on to something else but…

She couldn't do it.

She couldn't place her fingers on the keys.

And she had no idea why.

It was the mere thought of playing the piano something that her _mother _had taught her, that had her breaking on the inside. It came to her as a surprise as she had already thought that she was broken.

Her arms felt heavy, like their were filled with lead and there was a tightness in her chest that her breathing heavily and tears were clouding her vision and she couldn't see and then she heard sobbing.

Someone was sobbing and screaming and she could feel their pain as if it were own.

The noises around her felt like their were amplified as they grew louder causing her ears to ring in pain.

Who ever was screaming needed to stop because it was starting to hurt her ears and then she felt arms wrap around her and she breathed in the familiar scent of her father and everything became clear.

She realized that she was the one screaming and crying.

She completely shattered that night.

She hasn't been whole since.

She didn't think she ever would.

That's why she couldn't join glee club.

* * *

><p>It's lunch when they finally crash into each other.<p>

And they literally crash into each other.

The cafeteria had gone silent as soon as they realized who were involved in the disturbance. Her tea that she had brought from home was now on a red and white cheerleading uniform and water was covering her white tank top allowing her green and black bra to become noticeable.

Everyone held their breath as the only sounds were the two harsh breathing of the two girls. They were both looking down at the ground to their fallen drinks before they slowly looked up to the other.

As soon as their eyes connected, they were glaring and practically growling at each other. Icy green eyes and bold blue eyes locked in a heated and hateful gaze and everyone felt the tension between them grow vastly.

Will and Sue watched the scene from the entrance doors, both them tense ready to react if things should get out of hand.

"This is not going to end well." Will muttered to the cheerleading coach, remembering all the times that he had heard Emily ranting about Quinn when she was younger.

"I swear Schuester, if your niece does anything to my head cheerleader, there will be hell to pay." Sue threaten with a glare.

"Quinn's the one always starting these fights Sue. Emily just defends herself. Always has been." Will stated matter-of-factly.

Sue didn't answer as she watched as Santana move to stand behind Emily and a random cheerio, Kelsey, stand behind Quinn.

"Watch where you're going, _Emily._" Quinn sneered the name as if it was merely something on the bottom of her shoe.

"Accidents happen, _Quinn_." She spat the name, it leaving an awful taste in her mouth, "Though next time try looking forward like a normal person and not at the ceiling." She retorted, "Seriously, it's a little embarrassing watching you think that you're royalty in the place."

Quinn let out a piercing bark laughter that rung painfully in the ears of everyone around them.

"Please. I'm the most popular girl in this school and that makes me royalty. McKinley's Golden Girl." Quinn snapped, angered at that the blue-eyed girl for doubting her authority.

Emily smirked with a glance at Santana before stepping up closer to the blonde.

"You think that's true?" She asked softly, her voice laced with pity and amusement, "The moment I came back, the moment everyone realized I was back, I became the Golden Girl. _Again._" She whispered the words to the blonde, the last practically just a breath. These words were only for the two of them.

"Face it Quinn. You never had the position. Not really. Just a cheap replacement. Nothing memorable really. Except that's not actually true is it?" She asked lightly, as her voice grew louder toward the end so that everyone heard the question.

"Oh? And you think you can just return like nothing happened and have things back to normal? Please, you may have been the Golden Girl when were in grade school but everyone realized how stupid they were in their decision. This is high school. This is a much harder field to play on. You just try and take the title back because I won't let it go that easily." Quinn said, her voice strong and clear and Emily believed her because she knew Quinn. She wouldn't let it go without a fight.

"You may fight it but it's everyone else that has the power to uphold it. You're losing that power and you know it and you hate it. That lack of control. I'm already back where you don't want me but you just don't want to see it." The words were soft but could be heard throughout the cafeteria and Quinn felt angry tears sting the back of eyes but she refused to let them fall. Refused show any weakness.

"I won, Quinn. Now get over it." Emily snapped as she and Santana started to make their way out of the cafeteria.

"You're delusional if you think that, Emily. You haven't won anything. They don't respect you, they pity you and they'll pity even more when they know they _real_ reason to your return." Quinn's words were knowing and cold and they caused her to stop with a fear enveloping her until she felt like she was choking. She ignored the suspicious glare Santana gave as she spun around and stalked back toward the blonde, anger radiating from her every pore and a blazing, hard look that had even Quinn stepping back.

She got right into Quinn's face.

"What is it that you think know?" She asked bitterly and Quinn merely smirked victoriously.

"I know everything." She whispered, her eyes filled with cold hatred, _"Orphan."_

Emily didn't react to the word, for she didn't feel anything. Her face was blank, voided of all emotions and her body just there. It was the simple truth.

She was an orphan.

She knew that and she was coming to terms with that but the only ones who knew were her friends in Arizona, her uncle and Kurt. Her mind was racing as to how Quinn had figured it out.

"What? Got nothing to say, orphan." Quinn spat, still talking quietly for just the two of them.

A smile began to appear on the blue-eyed girl's face. It was a cold and cruel one, filled with the same hatred Quinn held for her.

"My parents left me unwillingly, they had no choice." Emily's tone was laced with cold pity and nothing else, "But the same couldn't be said for yours? Your parents kicked you out last year and then only wanted you back when you were their perfect little Christian daughter again."

She pulled back as so that icy green eyes and bold blue ones were locked onto each other. Both of them filled with hate and pain and tears.

"Your parents left you high and dry _willingly_ when you needed them the most." She said her voice clear for everyone to hear and everyone knew what she was referring to and she just ignore the crushing pain in her chest as she revealed one her secrets.

"Mine didn't."

With those final words she and Santana walked out of the room, leaving the crowd in a stunned silence. They walked past her uncle and Sue and her uncle was looking at her with a mixture of concern and disappointment and the coach was glaring at her with the same contemplative look in her eyes that she had on Friday.

The two girls ignored the adults as they walked to the restroom.

* * *

><p>Upon entering the restroom, Emily shrugged off the plaid shirt with the white tank top following it after, not caring that she half naked in front of Santana. She walked to the air dryer and turned it on.<p>

The girls were silent as Emily dried her top. Santana was leaning against the side of one of the stalls as she looked at Emily, as if she were waiting for her to snap.

The silence, while comfortable, was broken by the door opening and Kurt and Rachel entering. At seeing Emily with no shirt on, Kurt just raised an eyebrow while Rachel blushed lightly and looked away. The diva's reaction caused a small smile to appear on Emily's lips.

"Well I have to say that was certainly not what I was expecting." Kurt said with a little huff of annoyance. Santana raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? Were you waiting for blood to be spilled?" The Latina asked sarcastically but the blonde just nodded.

"When comes to those two. Yes, actually I was." He said seriously and Emily had to laugh at that. It was deep and genuine and it brought tears to her eyes and breathing became difficult.

She hasn't laughed like that in a long time.

Before long her laughter became sobs and her body just _dropped_. Her knees banging on the floor painfully but she didn't register it as she sobbed.

The other three watched as she broke at the seams, not knowing how to react. Finally, Kurt snapped into action and quickly made his way over to the girl. He knelt on the floor, not caring about his designer pants for once as he gently released her tight hold on the shirt and gave it to Rachel.

"Finish drying that." He said softly and she just nodded as she grabbed article of clothing.

Santana appeared next to him as they both stared worriedly down at Emily.

"Why is she like this?" They heard Rachel ask over the noise of the hand dryer and Emily's crying which had become softer sobs as she leant into Kurt's chest.

"Did you not hear the end of the fight, Berry?" Santana snapped, hating the helplessness that she was feeling. Emily had always been strong and with everything she just learned Santana thought that she was probably one of the strongest she knew.

She wanted to go and kill Fabray.

"Tell them." Her voice was thick with tears and hoarse from the sobbing but she sat up with Santana and Kurt on either side of her and Rachel standing in front of her but her wet eyes, that were still leaking tears, were trained on Kurt, who in turned looked torn.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded as wiped her tears away, though it made no difference.

And Kurt told them the whole story he had learned on Saturday when he asked Emily to hang out. The day had started with jokes and smiles and laughter and ended in tears and pain and regrets.

By the time he was done speaking, Santana and Rachel-who had joined them on the ground and helped Emily get into her tank top and plaid shirt-were in tears over all the loss that Emily had dealt with in her life.

The girl in question was simply staring at the ground with a blank broken look in her eyes.

There was a soft knock at the door before Brittany poked her head in.

"Why is everyone sad?" The blonde girl asked innocently as she and Tina walked in, Emily looked up at the two of them, a little life flashing back into her eyes, and she wiped away the tears that no longer fell.

"I'll tell you later, Brittany. We don't want to feel sad again, so you'll have to wait. Is that okay?" Emily asked, speaking Brittany's way perfectly.

"Okay." Brittany paused, "Don't listen to Quinn, Emily. She's hasn't moved on from Beth and Finn." The other occupants in the room looked surprised at the statement but didn't know what to say exactly.

"Trust me Brittany, I'm not taking Quinn's words to heart."

Brittany just nodded before smiling.

"So, are you going to be going to be in glee today?" She asked and the others looked at her eagerly for her answer.

She had none.

"You'll just have to wait and see, Brit."

She had no idea how this was going to play out and she was terrified at the possibilities running in her head.

* * *

><p>It was her free period and she was in the library again working on the Chemistry work that she had started last night. Unfortunately, she had forgotten some of her notebook that she had just for her notes and had to go back to her locker and grab it.<p>

When she closed her locker, now having the missing book, the face of Sam Evans appeared and he looked livid.

She jumped a little, startled at his sudden appearance and wondered how come she didn't hear him.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked, anger clouding his eyes turning them into a dark greenish black.

Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Last time I checked I was Emily." She pretended to search her body for any changes, "No I'm still Emily but thanks for the concern." She pushed past him but he grabbed her upper arm and spun her back around. She wince at the tight grip and she looked up at him and nearly shrunk back at the fury coming from him.

"She was in tears. She didn't go to forth period, couldn't face everyone because you decided to be a bitch and tear her down." Sam hissed and she felt her irritation at his defense for Quinn.

"She started it."

"And that makes it okay?" He asked rhetorically, his grip on her arm becoming tighter and she gasped.

"You're hurting me." She said and he let go instantly, shame covering his face before he remembered his purpose for confronting her.

She rubbed her arm absentmindedly as she stared into his green eyes and she felt bad for him, for he seemed like a nice and sweet guy and just got tangled in the spell that Quinn Fabray tended to cast on unsuspecting guys.

"You think she was the only one hurting?" She asked seriously and he opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off before anything could come out, "I only spoke the truth. She brought up my parents, two people she still has in her life. Alive and breathing and there for her." She could feel the tears in her eyes again but she refused let them fall. She has cried to much today.

He was surprised at her reaction and her words and he thought back to the fight. He wasn't really concerned with the brunette, only focusing on his girlfriend but he thought back to what she had said just before she left with Santana.

_Mine didn't._

"She called me an orphan and she took pride in tearing me down with the information because that's what Quinn Fabray does. She tears people down just to make up for her the hatred she feels for herself. She was and always will be a horrible human being, only thinking for herself, not caring who she hurts in the process." She told him as sympathy for him flowed into her words.

"Get out while you can."

She walked away from him after that and he was left with his thoughts.

He hated to admit it but she was right to at least some degree. He had seen a side of Quinn that had turned him off. She was absolutely cold and cruel and held no remorse for the words she spoke to Emily.

And Emily, he thought of the retreating girl, staring at her back. She was just reacting to be attacked and that was something he had to admire. She was on the defensive, hurting those who hurt her.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts of the two girls and decided he deal with them later in glee.

Once thing was sure though, there was something about Emily that he couldn't quiet put his finger on.

Sam couldn't wait to figure her out.

* * *

><p>By the end of the day, Emily felt like she was about to snap and she didn't want to deal with the glee club but figured that she should just get on with it because if she didn't do it now, she never would.<p>

She was the last to enter the room and all the chatter had stopped at her entrance causing her to roll her eyes at them. She looked around the room, seeing how they had sat together; Finn and Rachel, Mike and Tina, Mercedes and Kurt, Santana and Brittany and Artie, Quinn and Sam. She didn't want to deal with anyone right at the moment so she dropped her bag off in her uncle's office.

She took a deep breath, hoping to calm her raving nerves, but didn't move as she heard her uncle enter the choir room.

"Alright guys. Before we get on with today's lesson. We have Emily singing her audition piece." Her uncle said to everyone and she winced at his words. She had told him the she would sing but it was him that had made the conclusion of being her audition but then again she didn't correct him and it was a safe assumption.

She hated that she was going to disappoint him.

"Emily. Are you ready?" Her uncle asked. Turning to face him, she gave him a false smile.

"Yeah. I just need to talk to the band." She quickly rushed out of the room, not making eye contact with anyone just yet as she spoke to the band quietly. She relaxed as they told her they knew the song she wanted to sing. Not a lot of people her age knew the band.

She walked to middle of the room.

She didn't say anything before the music started, not wanting to lose her nerve.

_**Love is all around you now  
>So take a hold<br>Hidden in our words  
>It sometimes ain't enough<br>Don't suffocate day after day  
>It's building up<br>Cause when you're feeling weak  
>You know I'm strong enough<strong>_

She stared at the ground as she sung the familiar lyrics; she could feel herself relaxing as she always did when listening to the song. She ignored everyone around at the moment and just focused on the song. With everything that had happened today this was the perfect song to let it all go. She could've gone with something that had more of a beat to it like Monster and while fitting, she didn't have the urge to sing _that _particular song.

She chuckled inwardly for having just gotten the idea in the middle of French class.

_**Just one more day  
>One more day<strong>_

_**Oh, let the world crash  
>Love can take it<br>Oh, let the world come crashing down  
>Oh, let the world crash<br>Love can take it  
>Love can take a little<br>Love can give a little more**_

She raised her head up defiantly. Her eyes connecting with Santana's-who smirked at her behavior, Rachel-who while looking confused at the choice of song, smiled at her, and Kurt-who was familiar with the song as she had forced him to listen to it on Saturday.

She looked at Finn to see that he had avoided her gaze, and she felt a bitterness towards him that had startled her. Thankfully, it didn't effect her singing but she was curious as to why she felt that way.

_**Love is indestructible  
>So take a hold<br>Sometimes hard to find  
>A reason good enoughI<br>'ll stand beside you  
>Never leave through it all<br>And faith will bring a way  
>To the impossible<strong>_

_**Just one more day  
>One more day<strong>_

_**Oh, let the world crash  
>Love can take it<br>Oh, let the world come crashing down  
>Oh, let the world crash<br>Love can take it  
>Love can take a littleL<br>ove can give a little more**_

Sam watched Emily sing with undivided attention. Her voice was smooth with a slight smoky quality to it but it seemed to fit with the song. He felt something grab his hand, nails digging into his skin and he knew that Quinn was not happy. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, to see that she was glaring at Emily but he surprised at what he saw instead.

Her once beautiful features were twisted into something uglier; it was the expression from the cafeteria.

_**You can find me  
>You can find me<br>You can find me anywhere  
>Take a look over your shoulder<br>I'll be standing there  
>Standing there<strong>_

_**Love is all around you now  
>So take a hold<br>And faith will bring a way  
>To the impossible<strong>_

Emily moved her eyes toward the green-eyed blonde boy. He was staring at her with an intensity that was had her shifting from foot to foot and her heart racing that had nothing to do with singing.

There was something about this boy that had her feeling things that she hadn't felt in awhile. He made her blood boil and skin heat in anger and attraction because she was attracted to him, there was no denying that.

_**Just one more day  
>(You can find me, You can find me)<br>One more day  
>(You can find me anywhere)<strong>_

_**_**Just one more day  
>(You can find me, You can find me)<br>One more day  
>(You can find me anywhere)<strong>_**_

_**Let the world crash  
>Love can take it<br>Oh, let the world come crashing down  
>Oh, let the world crash<br>Love can take it  
>Love can take a little<br>Love can take a little  
>Love can take a little<br>Love can give a little more  
>A little more<strong>_

_**Take a little more  
>Take a little more<strong>_

There was a feeling in her at finishing a song again after so long and she relished with a vigor, soaking it in with everything she had. It felt like coming home from a long vacation, feeling at peace and well rested and absolutely relaxed. She felt whole and like she could take on anything for a quick moment.

There were many things she hasn't done in so long but maybe that could end here.

Maybe she can finally get back to what she loves.

But it was the getting there that was going to be a problem.

* * *

><p>Now before I get slammed for making Quinn like this you have to understand that she and Emily bring out the worst in the other. They quite literally hate each other, so that makes them awful to each other. I happen to love Quinn but of the Season 3 Quinn when she wasn't all psychotic but even you have to admit the Season 2 Quinn was a bitch. And that's what I want to protray and yes maybe I gave her some more bitchness but alas you will learn more about that later on.<p>

But we get some Sam/Emily interactions. Finally. Good those two haven't interacted since chapter 2. It's a slow burn, but things are changing as Sam becomes intrigued with Emily and Emily's curiosity as why she is feeling again.

Also, I know was vague with Emily's parents death's especially her fathers but again you will learn about them in a later chapter.

Anyways, reviews are welcomed and encouraged.

-ARF.

PS

Looking for a beta. Anyone interested talk to me. Please. I would be so grateful. I seriously would.


	7. Coffee Greetings from Bird Boys

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters. The only thing I own is Emily and Craig.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<br>****Coffee Greetings from Bird Boys**

There was a silence after her performance that had her fidgeting self-consciously as she stared at the audience filled with her friends. Then there was a clapping, and whistling, and cheering, and she felt so much better after they finally reacted.

Her uncle came up next to her, clapping, and grinning like she was their missing puzzle piece, and she felt the guilt eat her up at the thought of disappointing him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and faced the others.

"That was amazing Emily. What was the name of that song?" He asked, curious as he had heard her playing it, and some familiar songs at home multiple times over the week, but never thought to ask about it.

"It's called A Little More by Skillet. It's one of my favorite songs." She explained as her eyes roamed over the faces of her friends, not really paying attention as she continued to worry about everyone's reactions.

"I think it's safe to say that you're in Em." Finn's voice broke through to her, and she felt annoyed at his assumption, and the stupid grin on his face as his arm around Rachel's shoulder tighten. She felt the urge to yell at him, but fought against it as she pondered what was going on with the sudden change in her regarding Finn.

She frowned, and shook her head a little before speaking, "Actually-" She was cut off by Mercedes.

"Another person to fight solos with? Great. Just what we need. No offense Emily. You did amazing on the song." The bigger girl said, softening the insult with an apology that she felt wasn't sincere. _Wow. Really? _She looked around the room, her face blank of anything as to hide her surprise, but she couldn't help the question that floated into her mind.

_Who were these people and what happened to my friends?_

"If I may," Rachel began to speak, ignoring the eye rolls from practically everybody, save for Emily, and surprisingly Santana, "I think Emily wanted to say something_. _So if you would all be so kind to shut up, it would be much appreciated." The diva snapped, not looking at anyone therefore missing the impressed looked Santana, and Kurt gave her, and the glares from everyone else.

She cleared her throat loudly, gaining the attention of everyone, and shot them a sharp look before looking at Rachel with softer eyes.

"Thank you Rach." The shorten version of her name surprised her, but pleased her as well as she smiled shyly at Emily.

"Now what I was going to say was that I," She paused, closing her mouth in a tight line as she furrowed her eyebrows, and looked down. Her body seemed to grow tense as well as the air around her and she felt her neck grow uncomfortably stiff, and resisted the urge to crack it.

She took a deep breath.

"I'm not joining."

She kept her eyes on the floor and waited for the backlash that she knew was going to happen. At least with Finn and her uncle, but she was surprised at some of the others.

"What?"

"Thank god."

"Why not?"

"It's okay, Emily. You need some time to think about it. It's understandable."

Her uncle placed a hand, that was supposed to be reassuring, on her shoulder but it just felt heavy, and awkward, and she grew annoyed that he simply thought she was just having trouble deciding. She wasn't eight years old, debating on whether or not to get chocolate, or strawberry ice cream.

She pushed his hand off harsher then she intended as she stepped away from him. She walked into his office without a word, and grabbed her bag before making her way back into the choir room, everyone staring at her.

"I'm not joining, Uncle Will. I'm sorry if I made you think that I was, but I'm not." She told him, looking him in the eye, "I just _can't_."

"What are you too good for us?"

It was Quinn who asked, despite the fact that she had just voiced her relief in her not joining. _Fucking bitch, _Emily thought still sensitive from their fight earlier. She pasted a smirk on her face as she lazy turned around on her heels, swaying to the side a little, she gathered her balance without a care as she stared at the blonde girl with a certain gleam in her blue eyes.

"No. I just don't want to deal with the likes of you. You know the fake blonde cheerleader who can't seem to keep her legs close." She shot at the other girl, startling the group. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself as she clenched and unclenched her hands in fists, but not having the urge to hit her, thankfully. She knew that her comment was out of line as were the one from this afternoon. It's not like she ever really wants to fight with Quinn, but there was just something in the way that the blonde rubbed her that she didn't like.

She laughed mentally, thinking that she and Quinn probably would've been great friends if they didn't hate each other so much. _But we're not, and we do. So, there's no time for dwelling on what ifs._

"Emily!" Her uncle yelled, surprised at the words that came out of his niece's mouth, despite the fact that much worse had been said this afternoon.

"I'm not dealing with her, Uncle Will." She snapped at the older man, "And I'm not an idiot in thinking that if you kicked her out then I'll join beside I'm not that cruel. I'm not her." She said with a sharp look to said girl, "It's more then that." She stopped the words that wanted to come out, but this was a conversation for just the two of them, and not in front of the glee club.

She sighed, the energy draining from her rapidly, and she looked at her uncle with tired eyes.

"I'm going to the Lima Bean. I'll see you at home."

She walked out the door ignoring the calls from her uncle and Finn. She needed to get away from them, from this school, from _everything._

She needed caffeine.

* * *

><p>The sound of her car door slamming shut was swallowed by the slight busy traffic. Leaning against the jeep, Emily sighed heavily, closing her eyes, and letting her head fall back, hitting the window with an unintentional hard <em>thud. <em>

_Great_, she thought as she opened her eyes, and glared at the ground as she pushed off the vehicle, and made her way to the door, rubbing her head softly, _I need caffeine, and aspirin now. God…_She could practically feel the exasperation hitting her in waves, _this day just needs to be over, and done with._

She let out a breath, hoping to ease up on what ever tension had decided to reside in her shoulders, as she opened the door.

The strong smell of coffee with the mixture of chocolate sweetness hit her at once, and she inhaled the familiar, though not really, scent, relaxing to the sounds of the barista calling out orders, the cappuccino and espresso machines being used, and the groups of people talking, or laughing.

She always loved going to coffee shops back in Arizona. There was something about the atmosphere that pulled her in, and made her feel welcomed, and at home. There was this one shop that had been about two blocks away from her house, and she and her friends would end up there after school, relaxing from the craziness of school, and they would do their homework, and joke around. They had been there everyday, and because of that, they had their own spot.

It was right up front by the window. There were two couches facing each other with this huge oak coffee table between them. There were two arm chairs on the sides each. The couches were of this faded green color, worn through time, but obviously well used, and loved. The arm chairs were of the reddish brown color, and were in the same condition as the couches.

Movie posters, pictures from what the town looked like in the past, and pictures of the present covered the walls. Her and her friends in quite a few of them. She smiled vaguely at the memory of her old sanctuary.

She had ended up in that coffee shop, upon hearing of her father's death.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts from going down a darker path. After everything that happened today, she didn't need to be reminded of her guilt.

Stepping up to the counter once it was turn she order her coffee, hoping the caffeine would help clear her mind of the drama.

After paying, she stepped to the side to lean against a pillar, and casually looked around the room. There wasn't a lot of people in the shop, seeing as it was around three-fifteen, but she noticed a group of teen boys that were seated at the middle tables, and noted the navy blue blazers. _Private school guys. Joy, _she thought as she absentmindedly looking around the table.

She was startled out of her thoughts by the call of her name causing her to look over t the sound. It was the barista with her mocha.

Thanking the girl, she walked passed the laughing boys, her eyes landing on one of them in particular. He had an olive skin tone, with dark brown hair gelled back, therefore, keeping it out of his hazel eyes. He smiled, showing off pearly white teeth. He was attractive, but she got a sense of something that he wouldn't go for her.

Plus, he looked a lot like Rachel, and that was just _weird._

She made her way to a booth by a window for some decent lighting. Once settled, and taking a long drink of the hot soothing beverage, she pulled out a thick black journal like book. It was the size of a textbook, but the pages were an off white color. She flipped through the pages, looking at the familiar writings, pictures, small sketches of random things, quotes that she liked, and so many other things that she put in this book from the last two years. She hasn't open for awhile, the month having been so crazy, never mind that the book hadn't been in her presence for about a week.

It had felt so weird without as she had in on her all the time.

Stopping at a half filled page from the last time she wrote in it, she read the passage.

_Two people are never such good friends as when they are share a mutual dislike of a third person._

_-Unknown Wise Person_

She smiled at the dark purple quote that Craig had showed her. Her smile faded to small sad frown at the thought of the boy. She missed him so much, and she hated how they had left things.

She shook her head not wanting to go down the path at the moment, and returned to her book.

_There's a time when a person finds themselves at a path. To go one way or the other; right or left; A or B; right or wrong. But how does one choose which way to go? Is it the pros and cons of the decision, or is it a quick, split second impulse. Though, I guess it depends on the person, and the situation, and even then, they really don't know what's happening to them until it actually is._

_I'd like to think that if I ever had such a decision to make that I'd be mature about it, but if it happened soon, in the next few years, I'm sure I'd make some mistake because that's what teens do. They make mistakes, and learn from them._

_Is it weird that I'm just waiting for that time to come? That I just want whatever big decision I have to make come now, just to give me one less thing to worry about._

She tore her eyes away from green ink, not wanting to read the rest. She took a deep breath, grabbing the mug to bring it to her lips as she stared down at her book blankly. She was so out of it that she didn't notice the boy from earlier sitting across from her until he cleared his throat.

Startled, her eyes shot up to connect with hazel orbs. She blinked having not expected anyone to join, especially someone she didn't know.

"Hello." He greeted with a gentle smile, and a soothing voice. She stared at him, not quite sure what was going on.

"Uh, hi?" She said as more of a question because _really? The boy, she does not know, is sitting here with her like they were old friends. Okay…_

"Are you okay? You looked like you're upset about something." He said with concern shining in his hazel eyes. She blinked, and stared at him like he was from another planet.

"And you just thought to comfort a complete stranger?" She asked, and while the words themselves were sharp, the edge was lost as amusement lightly graced her voice, and her lips quirked up at the corners. There was something about this boy.

He shrugged while giving her a grin.

"Sometime talking to a stranger helps." He told her, "You know unbiased, and everything." She chuckled before nodding.

"While that may be true," She said, keeping her tone light, "For all I know you could be some crazed axe murderer who really likes to gel his hair." She joked because seriously it looked like he had half a bottle in his hair.

He nodded solemnly, his face mocking her.

"Yes, it would seem that you have caught onto my plan. The fumes from the hair gel were suppose to knock you out." He explained seriously, and she couldn't take it anymore, and burst out laughing. He joined in a moment later. They ignored the looks that they were receiving from the surrounding customers.

After a couple of minutes, Emily calmed down, and took deep breaths, "I used to vacation in California, I'm immune to hair product fumes." She cracked causing him to snort.

"I'm Blaine." He introduced, sticking his hand out to her.

She placed hers into his palm, an shook it.

"Emily."

* * *

><p>She and Blaine were still talking after an hour had passed, and they were joined by his four friends David, Wes, Nick, and Jeff. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed so much; the banter between these boys (especially between Nick and Jeff. She thought that their obvious bromance was absolutely adorable.) was hilarious, and left her in stitches that her sides were now hurting because of laughing so much.<p>

"So, Emily. Where do you go to school?" Nick asked curiously, his blue eyes shining. There was no denying that Nick Valentine was good looking with those eyes, the raven black hair, and a charming boyish grin; in fact all of the boys were ridiculously attractive.

She grimaced as the school came into her mind, nothing how she had dreamed it when she was younger, "William McKinley unfortunately."

Jeff looked at her inquisitively, "Do you not like it there?" He asked, dark brown eyes boring into her, but she saw a glint of mischief in them.

She looked down at her book, which she closed when Blaine had first arrived at her booth, and thought carefully what to say.

"I've only just moved back to Lima, so I've been there for like three days, but it hasn't been up to expectations that I had set when I was younger." She explained cautiously. A beep interrupted whatever she was going to say, and she looked down at her phone startled, having not expected it to go off. Giving the guys an apologetic look she opened the device to see that she had text message.

_Jewfro updated his blog. U might want 2 check it out  
><em>_-S_

It was from Santana, and she could feel the dread in the pit of her stomach, but she brushed it off, and looked at the guys.

"Did any of you happen to bring a laptop?" She asked seriously, receiving taken aback looks in return.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Clash of the Two Golden Girls<br>**__**Also Known as the Moment We were Waiting For and Feared**_

_Well, it finally happen people._

_Quinn Fabray and Emily Preston crashing into each other._

_And crash they did. Literally._

_And to think that at first they didn't even realized who they bumped into until they looked at each other. (Photo Below)_

_You all know the deal, one of them makes a comment-it seems that Quinn was the one to start it this time), and Emily snapped back while throwing another insult about how Quinn shouldn't compare herself to royalty anymore._

_Quinn, however, was quick to counteract._

"_Please. I'm the most popular girl in this school, and that makes me royalty. McKinley's Golden Girl."_

_Is she though? Is Quinn really our Golden Girl?_

_Not according to Emily._

_"You think that's true? The moment I came back, the moment everyone realized I was back, I became the Golden Girl. Again…Face it Quinn. You never had the position. Not really. Just a cheap replacement. Nothing memorable really. Except that's not actually true is it?" _

_You don't even need to ask to know what Emily was referring to with that question._

_Last year certainly was not kind to Quinn Fabray, and it would seem that Emily is going to be using that against the blonde beauty._

_It's always a surprise to me, and I'm certain to many of you student of McKinley, to see that Emily can be as nasty as Quinn, if not more. But there a difference to the girls when they act like this. Quinn-she's on the offensive, she's the attacker, the instigator. She is like this all the time. Emily though, she only show that side of her when she, or someone she loves if being attacked; she's on the defensive._

_Quinn's a bitch all the time._

_Emily's one when she's forced to be._

_Also it would seem that the a few people are already choosing sides as it was seen Santana Lopez supporting Emily, and someone random Cheerio was with Quinn. (Picture Below)_

_But to answer the question from earlier: No, Quinn isn't our Golden Girl. At least not anymore._

_Emily was right when she said that the moment everyone realized that she was back that her title was given back to her._

_But Quinn's not backing down as she publicly announced that she wasn't going down without a fight._

_On a different note, we find out the reason for Emily's return during this heated quarrel._

_Her father's death._

_Emily Preston is an orphan, something that Quinn told the whole cafeteria._

_But that didn't stop Emily from informing Quinn of something._

_"My parents left me unwillingly, they had no choice. But the same couldn't be said for yours? Your parents kicked you out last year, and then only wanted you back when you were their perfect little Christian daughter again…Your parents left you high, and dry willingly when you needed them the most…Mine didn't."_

_That had to hurt, despite it probably being a very accurate assessment._

_Emily and Santana had quickly walked out of the cafeteria after that, and both Emily and Quinn weren't seen in their fourth period classes._

_But it was fifth period that things got a little more interesting._

_Sam Evans confronted Emily during her free period._

_And he was not happy. (Picture Below)_

_Unfortunately, I was to far away to hear what he had said to her, but I could still hear Emily inform Sam to a side of Quinn that he has been ignorant to._

_"She called me an orphan and she took pride in tearing me down with the information because that's what Quinn Fabray does. She tears people down just to make up for her the hatred she feels for herself. She was and always will be a horrible human being, only thinking for herself, not caring who she hurts in the process."_

_Makes me wonder what Quinn would have to say to this, and the sudden intrigued expression Sam sported when Emily walked away._

_Until next time._

_-JBI_

* * *

><p>She blew out a breath as she look away from the screen of David's computer.<p>

"_Wow…" _She heard Jeff mumble from behind her, and she winced realizing that they had just read about something that she was not proud of.

"Not my finest moment." She mocked herself, hating that these guys would probably think she was a huge bitch (which she will admit she was, but it was like what Jewfro said, _only when she's forced to be_), and they didn't want anything to with her. She wouldn't blame them.

Emily quickly exited out of the browser, closing it, and handed it back to David with a small grateful, if slightly cautious, smile.

"Thank you for letting me us this." She told him sincerely. He nodded at her with a small smile of his own.

"So, there's blog on your schools drama?" Nick asked rhetorically, but she answered anyway.

"Yeah and as you can see that my less then impressive moments are for everyone to see." She looked down, her lips in a tight line, but continuing without really paying attention to what she was saying, "I'm not proud of how I react to Quinn, but she just bring out a side of me that I don't like. It's a side that I try to keep carefully controlled, but one careless comment to me, or someone else, and I just go off." She chuckled humorlessly, "The funny thing is, she and I would probably be great friends if we didn't hate each other so much."

"Maybe you will." Blaine's soft voice interjected positively, and she snorted.

"Until you actually see the two of us in person then you wouldn't understand why that's just not possible." She told him softly.

They were all silent after that for a few moments, deep in thought, drinking their refills.

It was Jeff that broke the silence eventually, "Wow, it got depressing all of a sudden."

Emily let out a bark of laughter that turned into her softer laugh mingling with the chuckles from the guys.

Her eyes happened to check the clock that was by the door to see that it was coming to four fifteen, and she had about other hour before her uncle was supposed to be home.

"I'm sorry guys, but I have to get home." She stated as she placed her book in her bag, and stood up, "It was great meeting you all of you." She looked at all of them with a smile.

The guys returned the sentiments, and she gave them one more grin before she left the table. It took her a moment to realize that one of them was walking beside her.

Blaine.

She shot him a confused look.

"I thought I'd walk you to your car." He answered the unasked question, and she smiled at the chivalry. Despite being independent, and stubborn (at least according to her family, and friends. _Whatever._) there were sometimes that even she liked a gentleman.

"Thank you, but you don't have to."

"I want to."

She smiled to herself at his answer.

"You know from what I learned in these last couple of hours of meeting you, I have to say is that you are probably one of the strongest people I've met." He told her. She could hear the honesty in his voice, and she felt tears sting her eyes at his words.

"How you've handled your parents deaths, this girl at your school, and all of that other drama going on with you and your friends; that takes a lot of courage."

"Courage?" She asked softly as the slowed down when her jeep became close.

He nodded.

"To me it's just another word for strength, yet has it's own definition at the same time because really that's all that people really need."

They stopped at the door to her jeep, and she turned to face him.

"I guess you're right." She said softly, "Thank you Blaine." It wasn't just for walking her to her car, but for sitting with her when he did, and having him and his friends make her laugh, and enjoy the moment.

"Your welcome."

* * *

><p>Emily was sitting on her bed, her books and papers all round her as she worked on her homework. Her laptop was near the corner of her bed opened, and logged into facebook. Her uncle had arrived home about twenty minutes ago, and had tired to talk to her about glee club, but she wasn't in the mood to deal with that right now.<p>

As she worked on particular Calculus problem that was giving her a little too much trouble that she was debating on calling Mike, her computer dinged. Jumping at the sound, she looked up at the screen.

She had some friend requests.

_Blaine Anderson wants to be friends._

_Nick Valentine wants to be friends._

_Jeff Sterling wants to be friends._

_Wes Hamilton wants to be friends._

_David Brenham wants to be friends._

She quickly accepted all of them, happy to know that they hadn't thought any less of her after the drama they had learned about her. She thought back to what Blaine had said.

_To me it's just another word for strength, yet has it's own definition at the same time because really that's all that people really need._

Maybe he was right.

_You know, I wonder if I should introduce him to Kurt,_ she thought as she finally reached for cell to call Mike. _I think those two would get alone amazingly._


	8. She Knows Things and She Notices Things

**Pairings: **Starts off with Finchel, Quam with Brittana, Bartie, Chang-Squared, St. Berry, Mercedes/Matt, Blaine/Kurt/Karofsky, Luck, Wemma, Holly/Will. Eventual Sam/Emily (OC), Puckleberry, Fuinn, Santana/Amelia (OC).

**Friendships: **Finn/Puck/Dave/Emily, New Directions/Emily, Strong Santana/Emily/Rachel, Kurt/Emily, Emily/Amelia (OC/OC).

**Warning: **Finn and Quinn Bashing, swearing, some mature themes (subtle nongraphic), death of original characters, some sexual themes (subtle nongraphic), light violence.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of the characters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<br>****She Knows Things and She Notices Things**

It had been a couple of weeks since she meet Blaine and the others, and they had been talking quite a lot over Facebook and over text messages as she had gotten their numbers that day in the Lima Bean. She enjoyed the random and crazy things Nick and Jeff told her, especially when things during school got particularly stressful like when her uncle and Finn confronted her about glee.

_She was avoiding them._

_She knew it, and wasn't even the slightest bit ashamed of it, well, okay, maybe she was a little ashamed, but that was beside the point. She felt a little guilty that she was grateful that she didn't have any classes with Finn. But she lasted a day and a half without seeing him so far, so she could push through longer._

_She hoped._

_She clutched at the strap of her messenger bag as her eyes moved rapidly around the halls in front of her while she made her way to her locker to grab her things for her fourth period as well as her free period._

_Making it to her locker without seeing either her friend or her uncle, Emily relaxed slightly as she opened the locker. She took out her things for fourth period which she had with Rachel, Santana, Kurt, Noah, and Sam. She flinched at the last name having recalled what she had said to him about his girlfriend that while true she probably could've been less harsh about it._

_Lost in her thoughts as she absentmindedly grabbed her things, she didn't notice Finn walking up to her. It wasn't until she closed her locker that she became aware that someone was standing next to her, but before she could register who it was, he grabbed her wrist, and pulled down the hallway toward the Spanish classroom._

_Once she realized that it was Finn pulling, and where exactly they were heading she started to resist._

"_Let me go Finn Hudson!" She shouted at him, drawing stares from the crowd. Ignoring them, she attempted to kick the taller boy while still trying to keep her balance. "Right this instant!"_

"_No Em. Not until-ouch! Was that necessary?-we talk about this! Ow!" He said, not slowing down despite the fact she was able to kick him in the side twice._

_Just as he opened the door to her uncle's classroom, she gave him one last kick in his back, propelling him forward, his arms flailing as he tried to right himself. He was able to catch his balance, bracing himself against her uncle's desk. She watched in amusement as the objects wobbled from the sudden movement before her eyes moved up to her best friend, who was now standing straight and facing her and her uncle._

_Sighing tiredly, she closed the door behind her, but didn't move any further into the room. She decided to lean against the wall by the door, with her legs crossed and her arms under her chest._

_The three of them stared at each other, her gaze flickering back and forth between the two of them while Finn did the same between her and her uncle. She pressed her lips into a thin line as she gathered her energy for the argument that was no doubt about to come from this forced meeting._

"_I told you before, I'm not joining." She said bluntly, and she winced at the harshness in her tone._

_She heard an exasperated sigh, and her eyes shot up to see that Finn looked irritated at her words. She gave him a startled look as he was now closer to her then before, and she had to crane her neck to look up at him._

When did he get so tall? _She asked herself, just now realizing the height her friend had gained from the last time she saw him. Logically, she knew that he would grow over the five years of their separation, but it was still shocking to see._

"_Come on Emily." He said sounding like he was done placating her, and she mentally laughed to herself, because did he even know the meaning the word placate, or even how to say it? "Why are you making this more difficult than it has to be?" He asked, and she was able to resist the urge to growl at him for his audacity to think that she was just being immature._

"_Finn." Her uncle's voice scolded slightly, and she hated that a part of her (a very, extremely small part) was surprised that he even dared used such a tone with the Golden Boy Finn Hudson. _Oh the horror! Someone call the media! _She said sarcastically in her head as she rolled her eyes at the two of them._

_Pushing herself off the door, she stepped forward towards Finn forcing him to step back as she leveled him a glare that had him gulping._

_She took a deep and calculating breath before speaking, "I am not making anything difficult Finn Hudson. There are reasons in my life that you don't need to know about that are preventing me from joining. Do you understand?" She hissed at him as he looked at her with wide and innocent brown eyes, and she could feel the guilt starting to plague her, but she pushed it down for now. "Because once you get that through your thick skull things will get so much easier."_

_The two brunettes stared at each for a long moment, both waiting for the other to make the next move._

_It was Finn who cracked first._

"_I'm your best friend." He whispered softly, the hurt seeping into his voice, and around her heart, holding it in a vice grip, and her eyes softened, "You supposed to tell me everything that way I can help you."_

_Any anger or irritation she felt towards the taller boy evaporated at his words._

"_This is one thing that you can't help me with Finn." She responded quietly, and her eyes shifted over to her uncle, who was wisely decided to stay silent throughout this conversation._

_He just looked at her with his own brown eyes like he was trying to read into her very soul, and she just gave him a helpless look in return, and his eyes softened at the frighten expression on her face._

"_I can try." Her best friend's broken voice stole her attention again, and she felt the tears form in the back of her eyes._

"_No you can't Finn." She said weakly, "So please stop trying."_

_She turned around and left the two of them to contemplate the situation that had arisen._

Just as she had sat down next to Rachel, she received a text from Nick.

_**From: **__Nicky V.  
><em>_**To:**__ Emmy P._

_Anatidaephobia is the fear that somewhere, somehow, there is a duck watching you.  
><em>_;) thought you could use a laugh during a boring Thursday!_

She remembered laughing loudly at the message, startling her friends and classmates, and getting Mr. Peterson annoyed at her interruption of the beginning of his lecture.

"_And just what is so funny Ms. Preston?" Her chemistry teacher asked as her laughing subsided, and she nearly lost it again as she processed his question._

_Taking a deep breath, she waved a hand dismissively, and somehow keeping a straight face as she said, "Oh you know. Just cautious to a potential duck watching me."_

_There was absolute silence at her off the wall comment._

_How Brittany like of her._

_Soon though there was a snicker coming from her right, and she glanced over to see that Sam was trying, and failing, to smother his laughter. A grin formed on her lips, and she started to laugh again, and then Rachel, Santana, and Kurt started to laugh before the rest of the class joined in._

_As Mr. Peterson tried to get the class under control, she grabbed her phone, and quickly texted Nick back._

_**From: **__Emmy P.  
><em>_**To:**__ Nicky V.__  
><em>

_Thanx for the laugh!  
><em>_Your timing was perfect.  
><em>_;)_

She smiled at the memory as she pulled into the driveway of a familiar house.

Turning off her uncle's car that he let her borrow, she quickly got out, and ran to the front door with a slam of the car door behind her.

She knocked on the door eagerly, jumping on the tip of her toes.

Impatiently, she raised her hand to knock again, but dropped when the door opened to reveal her best friend.

She grinned happily at the sight of him before launching herself into his arms.

"Noah!" She exclaimed with a laugh in her voice as he spun her around in circles making her become dizzy.

"Emily!" He mocked as he put her down. She continued to laugh, and held onto him when she stumbled forward slightly.

He held her tightly to steady her, and didn't let go until she regained her balance.

"Come on. Ma will be happy to see you. So will the squirt." He told her as they walked into the house, and she could feel the guilt of forming in the pit of her stomach at not visiting her best friend's mother and sister.

As she entered the house, she was filled with the sensation of being familiar with the unfamiliar place. It was strange, she had been in this house so many times during her childhood that it had become like a second home to her, but things still seemed so different. She savored the feeling of comfort and nostalgia as she looked around, only to see that nothing had really changed since the last time she was in the house a little over five years ago.

"Noah! Who was at the door?" An older woman's voice rang out from the kitchen, and Emily grinned at the sound. She and Noah exchanged a look before they walked into the living room and into the kitchen where Noah's mother, Ava, was cooking dinner and his little sister, Adi, was sitting at the table working her homework. She smiled at the scene as Noah made his way over to his mother, ruffling the brown hair on his sister's head on his way.

"There's someone who wants to see you." She heard Noah whisper before kissing his mother's cheek. She could see the confused expression on her face before glancing over her shoulder.

"Hi Ms. Puckerman." Emily said cautiously. She had been back in Lima for a little over a month, and this was the first time she was seeing the older woman since she left for Arizona.

The woman gave a startled gasp as she dropped the spoon she was using on the counter unceremoniously and quickly made her way to the young woman. She paused taking in the green and blue in the brown hair that curled wildly at the ends, and the thin lens glasses framing those still staggering cobalt blue eyes that were hard to forget. Her body had lost the baby fat, and slimmed down into an attractive athletic frame. Gone were the pinks, lavender, yellows, soft blues and greens, and in their place were greys, blacks, dark purples, bold blues, shocking greens, and bright reds for clothing.

Emily was no longer the innocent little girl that she once knew, but then again she had lost some of that innocence when her mother died and again with her father's death.

"Emily." Ava breathed out before pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh. I've missed you little one." Emily's breath caught in her throat and tears formed in her eyes at the old pet name. _God I've missed that…_

"I've missed you too." She responded softly.

As they pulled away from each other, Emily felt a body slam into her, hugging her around the waist tightly. Startled at the force, she looked down to the top of Adi's head.

"Emily!" The younger girl yelled excitedly. Emily chuckled as she wrapped her arms around the little girl, happy to see her again. Though, she pushed down the jealousy that was just starting to swell into something that was much more bigger. _I am not jealous. I am not jealous. _She repeated in her head with even breaths.

"Hey Adi." She said softly with what she hoped was a small smile on her face, but when she looked up she caught the sad and knowing look Noah's mother gave her, she knew that she didn't succeed very well.

Ignoring it, she spoke to the older woman, "I'm sorry I haven't been around. Things have been…" She trailed off not knowing what to say, _"Complicated."_ She finished lamely, and the guilt from when she first walked in grew when Ava waved the apology off.

"It's perfectly okay little one. I know that you've had a hard time lately." The older woman said reassuringly. "You're here now and that what matters."

She could feel the tears in her eyes, but she didn't want let them fall. She didn't want to show how much those words affected her. Clearing her throat, she looked over at Noah hoping that he would get her out of here.

"Alright ma. Enough with the mushy shit." He said as he walked over to them. Ignoring the sharp look his mother gave him for swearing, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and maneuvered them to the back door leading to the familiar backyard. "Em and I are going to be in the back." He shouted over his shouldered as the door slammed shut.

She took a deep breath as she tried to control the ranging emotions shooting through her rapidly, and she felt Noah tighten his arm around her. Closing her eyes, she felt herself start to calm down before sighing deeply.

"Sorry 'bout that. Ma is even more bat shit crazy than when we were kids." Noah stated causing her to snort because he wasn't lying; Ms. Puckerman was bat shit when it came to the people she cared about, but that was what made her so loved.

"I'm sure that was nothing compared to how she reacts to Rachel." She said innocently looking up at him in time to see him flinching at the mention of the tiny diva's name.

"Don't say her name around ma." He practically begged, and she looked at him in amusement. "Just saying her name causes ma to plan the wedding." At his words she laughed loudly, the sound echoing lightly in the air.

"Please. You know she's had the wedding planned since we were eight. Now she's figuring out names for your kids." She teased, though there was probably some truth to her words.

Noah groaned.

Laughing still, Emily walked to the middle of the yard before sitting down, and lying down on her back to look at the stars with Noah following her after a moment.

The silence between them comfortable as they watched the stars twinkle down at them in the night sky, and she savored the feeling of being in the presence of her best friend.

"Emily." She heard him say softly, and she turned her head to look at him, only to see that he was still looking up.

"Yeah?"

"I've missed you."

Try as she might, she felt the tears form in her eyes, and a stupid grin appeared on her face. "I've missed you too." She said thickly, and was grateful when he didn't say anything.

"Why are you back?" He asked after another moment of silence between them, and she tensed at his words.

"Noah…" She trailed off not knowing what to say. Her mind flashed back to her conversation with Finn a couple of weeks ago.

_You supposed to tell me everything that way I can help you._

"You know you can talk to me about anything?" He said seriously as he turned to face her and the happy tears from early changed into sad ones and they spilled down the side of her face and onto the ground.

She did know that. Things with Noah were always different than they were with Finn or even David at times. Noah was the closest thing she had to a brother. She knew things about him that not many people did (Rachel excluded), and he knew things about her that others didn't.

She was there when his parents-two people who she thought loved each other more than anything, much like her own parents-fought over some slut waitress and an apparent baby. She was there when his father finally left them with intentions of becoming famous. She was there when he broke his arm from falling from the roof after trying to clean out the gutters because he was the man of the house now and that what they did.

And he was there for her. He was there when her own parents fought like crazy, and that when that got practically nasty she stayed with her uncle, but they always made up, and seemed to be even more in love. He was there when she ended up getting a severe case of tonsillitis, and she had to get them removed, and she was terrified that she won't be able speak anymore. And he was most definitely there when her mother died taking with her the brother she had grown to love in the month and half of knowing his existence.

She trusted Noah with her life.

She loved Finn dearly; don't get her wrong, but lately since her return and hearing what had happened last year, had made her opinion of her goofy best friend falter. Had she been younger, she would be telling him, and David and Noah, what was wrong, but now that she was older and had dealt with far too many tragedies in her sixteen years, she was more guarded.

Besides, she knew that if she did tell Finn about her dad, he wouldn't really understand, not like Noah. Yeah, he lost his dad, but he never knew him seeing as he had died when he was just an infant. Whereas Noah's walked out on him after taking care of him and loving him for years before skipping out.

She looked up into the concerned hazel eyes as she took a shuddering breath, thankfully that she was no longer crying, but she knew that tear tracks were showing.

"Dad died." She whispered, and she could see the sympathetic understanding in those depths of his and her breath hitched as she started to sob without the tears falling.

Quickly wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her to him tightly, he pressed a kiss to her hair as he whispered, "Oh Emily. I'm here now. No one's going to leave you anymore."

She stiffened at his words, wondering how he knew one of her deepest fears since her father's death. Her right hand that was clutching at the collar of his t-shirt, pressed down in his collarbone to give her the leverage to lift herself up a little.

"How did…" She trailed off, and he smiled back softly pushing some hair away from her face.

"I know you Em and while it hurts now. It will get better. The pain will always be there, but it will be bearable." He said soothingly, "And as harsh as it sounds: You got through this once. You can do it again."

Emily didn't say anything as she laid back down, placing her head on his shoulder.

"Besides you got me now, and we're in this together."

She felt a small smile appear on her face.

"Just you and me." They said at the same time looking up at the stars.

* * *

><p>Emily stood in front of her locker when she spotted her mohawked best friend walking down the aisle, seemingly oblivious to the whispers and stares that he was receiving, but she noticed that steel in his hazel eyes, the slight tick of his jaw, and the tighten of his fist around the strap of his backpack.<p>

Her gaze moved up to meet his, and she noticed that he's nearly on the edge of doing something stupid, and when people started to see that she apparently was seeing her best friend for the first time since she was eleven. The crowd around them quiets down some, not completely silent as to make it obvious that they're watching the scene, but not loud enough where the lessened volume wasn't noticeable.

Noah walked past her, only to pause a few steps ahead of her. His head tilt back to glance at her over his shoulder to see if she would make the next move.

Smiling softly, she closed her locker and walked up to him.

With their shoulders arms brushing against each other, they savored the heat and comfort that they were both radiating as they made their way to US History.

They meet up with Kurt when they enter the classroom. Moving to their seats near the back of the class the trio talk about Emily's performance in glee the a couple weeks ago.

"Man I wish I could've seen the look on Mr. Schue and Finn's face when you told them that you weren't joining." Noah said with a chuckle as they sat down. Noah on the right and Kurt on the left with her in the middle.

Emily grimaced at the memory, "They both looked like I was talking Chinese or that I wasn't feeling well and therefore not thinking straight."

Kurt and Noah both snorted at the mental image she had painted.

"Still though the song you sang was beautiful. I had looked up some of their other stuff online and I can see why you love them so much." Kurt told her as he got his book and binder out of his book bag.

"What did you sing?" Noah asked following Kurt's lead and grabbing his things.

Emily was already digging through her bag searching for the pen she knew was in her messenger bag, "A Little More by Skillet."

Noah made a sound of approval as he got ready for class.

Seeing this out of the corner of her eye, Emily smiled encouragingly, even though he couldn't see it. She knew that things were tough for him juvie, but not exactly how hard, but she also knew that he didn't want to go back any time soon or ever for that matter.

Also, she knew that when high school was over, he was leaving Lima, and had been 'casually' looking at New York for the move. And she also nearly burst out laughing when he said that it had absolutely nothing to do with a tiny brunette who was also planning to move to the big city.

Kurt glanced around to make sure that no one was paying attention to them, "Are you sure that you can't join glee club?" He asked softly.

Emily sighed in annoyance at the question when her fingers felt the small plastic tube of her pen. Wrapping them around the writing utensil she pulled it out as she spoke, "I've told you both that it's not going to happen and you know why. So please stop asking me Kurt."

"I know. I know, but Finn wanted me to ask you anyways." Kurt explained causing her and Noah to share a quick glance and an eye roll.

"Finn needs to mind his own damn business and understand the meaning of no." Emily nearly hissed.

"I'm well aware."

Emily made to say something but was interrupted by Mr. Richards starting class.

As the lecture went on and Emily took notes, she thought about Finn not letting up on her joining glee. It seemed that he was extremely determined to get her in the club despite her not wanting to be in it.

Suddenly an idea came to mind and before she could forget it, she quickly wrote a note to check it out to see if it was valid.

Maybe, just maybe, this will get Finn off her back.


End file.
